Rebirth
by Annie Felis
Summary: After the downfall of Kefka, the Returners attempt to rebuild their lives. However, a new powerful force makes itself known and threatens Terra. Can they face this new enemy while puzzling out a new form of magic? (completed)
1. Prologue -- The Long End

"Rebirth" -- Prologue 

**Rebirth**  
by Annie Felis

**PROLOGUE  
The Long End**

I am.....really....alone. 

The thought ran through the man's head over and over, and while it might of brought some fear, it only brought him peace. Alone. He always had been alone, but that's how he preferred it. Alone with thoughts. Not feelings, feelings were things you destroyed; petty emotion simply got in the way of the overall scheme of life. No, thoughts that ran deep into the soul were the kind that came to one who was alone. 

Clyde. I used to be Clyde. No, Clyde is dead. I am dead, too...or soon will be. 

The ninja shifted his position as he sat in the shuddering tower of rubble, waiting for the end to come. He bent his knees back a bit, rested his arms on them, and took in his fairly dreary surroundings. Pieces of schrapnel, hunks of buildings, melted glass and shattered wood all lay about him, all partially destroyed to be reformed into a hulking abomination. An abomination that was now being desrtoyed by the very power that formed it. Shadow smiled slighty at the irony of it. Destroyed by your maker. What a way to go. 

He heard the whir of propellers above, and looked up to see a zeppelin cruise overhead, its shiny hull reflecting back the flames that had engulfed the tower, making the airship seem like it was covered in blood. They were on it. All of them. Good for them, it was not their time to die here. Shadow gave the vanishing ship a vague nod, as if to salute them, and to wish them a safe journey. 

The tower gave a lurch, and the tremors that ran through it grew stronger. The ninja knew that if he was standing, he would of been knocked flat on his back. Good, they were getting worse, that meant it was coming sooner. Shadow closed his eyes, breathed in the smokey air, and let his body go completely limp as the floor sagged, and suddenly fell out beneath him. He waited for the final blackness. 

Instead, there was a bright light. Then silence.

* * *


	2. Chapter 1 -- Cabin Fever

"Rebirth" -- Chapter One **CHAPTER ONE  
Cabin Fever**

Edgar Figaro stifled a yawn as he listened to the Chancellor drone on about the expansion of Figaro. At first, Edgar was pleased with the thought of making the castle larger, quicker, and more durable to the pressure of the sand it was generally buried under. But now, the project just seemed more and more tedious. The newest idea was a thing called "eco domes", something that would house trees, crops and water, all within the castle's walls. It seemed to be a good idea, until the price of the eco domes sat staring back at you from a sheet of paper. 

The king crumpled up the paper with the prices, and tossed it at the Chancellor. "Forget it, Bryant. We can't afford to create any environments within Figaro." 

Chancellor Bryant caught the piece of paper that rebounded off his chest. "King Edgar, we've been through this, and it would benefit the people of Figaro..." 

Edgar sighed, and stood up, pushing his chair away from his desk. "Yeah, and it would render us poorer than Zozo. As I said, forget it. I'm not about to put the entire castle into debt." He raised his hand as the Chancellor began to protest again. "Look, we have farmland near South Figaro that rakes in plenty of crops for both that city and for this castle. We also have our saline treatment plants to the northeast, and those cost enough to maintain. Figaro Castle is simply here for the protection of South Figaro, nothing more." 

"But, the residents..." 

"...the residents chose to live here, Bryant. They're all soldiers, or government employees and their families. If they don't like it, they can move to South Figaro. Concentrate on the expansion of the east and west wings. I believe this discussion is closed." Edgar walked out of the office, to leave Bryant standing there stupidly with a stack of blueprints and reports in his hands. Things hadn't slowed down for the young king of Figaro in the eleven months that had passed since Kefka's downfall. After he returned to Figaro, he had to manage certain details that simply couldn't be taken care of when he was on his little "quest" with the others. Bryant and his cohorts did a fairly adiquite job of managing things for the two years he was gone, but there was a certain comfort that many found when the king was nearby, and when the king was making the decisions. Since his return, he had plenty of work to do, but he had managed to draw up blueprints to expand Figaro, designed a few new devices, and even had the time to invite some of his friends from what he referred to as the "Kefka business". But now the Kefka business was over with, and that left plenty of time to do, well, kingly things. 

Edgar walked into the throne room, and looked at the two high-backed chairs that served as the thrones for Figaro. He could sit down, it would seem appropriate; he hadn't done much of his ruling from a throne lately. Yet, it seemed pointless to the young king. Why? They'd just find him there. He was tired of being king at times. Many times to be exact, it just seemed to be filled with tedium, and the occasional stressful moment. Not only that, but it was a lonely job. He still played the flirtatious bachelor, but women never seemed to take him seriously. It didn't matter, he wasn't necissarily interested in them anyway. He flirted more for the sake of apperances than anything else. Only one women seemed to react differently to him, and she was in Mobliz... 

Terra. Why did his thoughts wander back to her? While he could read other people like a book, she was a simple enigma to him. When they parted ways, they had said goodbye to each other the same way that the others had: smiles, a few laughs, a chaste hug and then that was it. He had made some effort to contact her, and to invite her up to Figaro afterwards, but her letters back to him told him that she simply couldn't leave the children. That was Terra for you: always thinking of those children. In some sense, he was proud of her. She had grown so much from the confused girl that Locke had brought to the very spot he stood on two years ago. He wondered how much she had changed since they parted. 

The king of Figaro Castle sighed, and went back to find Chancellor Bryant. 

* * * 

"Gotcha!" 

"No fair...my back was turned!" The honey-haired woman giggled and pushed herself from his strong grip. Her companion was grinning at her as she turned to face him, his soft brown eyes alight with mischief. "Mr. Cole, one of these days I'm gonna manage to sneak up on you." 

The thief's grin broadened. "Right. When pigs fly. You couldn't sneak up on me, let alone catch me if you tried." To prove his point, he reached in, jabbed her in the stomach with a finger, and jumped back before she could grab his wrist as she squealed with laughter. 

"Stop!" The forest echoed with the sounds of their laughter. 

He stuck his tongue out at her. "Make me." 

Suddenly, she lunged at him with suprising speed, and the next thing he knew, Locke had her sitting on his chest, pinning him down. While she didn't weigh as much as he did, she was his size, and could hold her own while sparring against him. That's how the whole tickle business started: they began by sparring, to burn off the cabin fever. Then Locke started to play unfairly by rushing in and tickling her, and then ducking off someplace to hide. A couple of times, he would take an earring off her or one of her hair clips, and hold it up tauntingly in front of her face before she even knew it was gone. Oh well, that's what you get for hanging around with a thief. 

Celes looked down at him. "Uncle?" 

Locke smiled and tucked his hands behind his head. "I dunno, I'm kind of liking this..." 

Celes opened her mouth for a retort, when a voice was heard from a nearby tree. "Would you two like to be alone?" 

The two of them looked up to see a familiar figure, dressed in black and gold, leaning against a broad oak. His pale face bore scars and a fairly oboxious smirk. He pushed a piece of white hair out of his eyes. "Because, y'know...if you two lovers ever want time alone, I'm not one to impose..." 

Celes jumped off of Locke, knocking the wind out of him in the process. "Setzer!" She flung herself into his arms to give him a tight squeeze. "What are you doing in Kohlingen?" 

The gambler shrugged. "Visiting, mainly. I just wanted to see what's up in Locke and Celes land. Apparently, you two have been inventing little games to keep you busy." 

Locke grinned as he shook hands warmly with Setzer. "Still the perverted wise-ass I remember, huh? It's good to see you, Setzer. Here, come back to the house. You never were one to stand around in the woods anyway." 

Locke's house was one of the few that was burned during Terra's "attack" on the small town of Koligen, but since the fall of Kefka, he had plenty of time to rebuild it. It wasn't overly large, but it suited the treasure-hunter and Celes perfectly. As they walked up the stone steps, Setzer noted the hydrangas and the white picket fence, something that Locke himself probably wouldn't add, but a fussy woman like Celes would. He decided that if he ever had a home, it would be something like this one. 

Setzer seated himself on the couch as Locke pulled up a chair, turning it backwards to straddle it. "So, tell me what you've been doing, Mr. Gambler." 

The pale man leaned back thoughtfully. "Gambling, mainly. Also, I've been talking to Cyan about making a fleet of smaller airships for the Doma force." 

Celes brought in a cup of tea for Setzer, and set it in front of him. "Oh, how is Cyan anyway?" 

Setzer sipped his tea and looked at her over the rim of the cup. "Busy. He has Doma nearly rebuilt, and mostly repopulated. It's line of government has changed, though. They no longer have a monarchy, they have a democracy." 

She cocked her head slightly to the side. "Really? Who's president? Cyan?" 

He shook his head. "No, he refused the position. He's an advisor to the president, a man by the name of Fabon. So far, things seem to be turning out well there. To top it off, Cyan has Gau behaving like a human being." 

The thief smirked. "You mean he doesn't run around saying "Aooouuu" anymore?" 

Setzer set down his cup. "No, he actually is learning good manners, and good hygene for that matter. Just the other day--" 

He was cut short by a loud gasp from Celes, who began rocking back and forth, clutching at her head. Locke jumped up from his chair to go to her side. "Celes! Are you all right?" 

Celes nodded, swallowing hard. "I....I just....felt something." 

Locke put an arm around her shoulders. "Felt something...? You haven't had any ability like that since magic died." 

The ex-general shuddered, and then relaxed. "It felt...I can't explain it. Pain. Like something wanted something back. It felt like the whole world wanted something back. It was the strangest feeling..." She looked at Locke. "I don't fully know what it was, but it's frightening." 

Setzer stood up. "Maybe you two should talk to Strago about this. If it actually is anything magical, he'll have some sort of explanation." 

The thief helped Celes up. "Good idea. Is the Falcon ready?" 

Gabianni grinned. "As always. 

* * * 

"Momma? Momma!" 

Bridget's yells of concern didn't seem to reach Terra's ears, there was only the pain that pulsated somewhere from the back of her skull. And the images she recieved, of hatred, of wanting filled her mind to the point where she started screaming. Then it suddenly stopped. Still quivering from the aftereffects of the tempest in her mind, Terra reached over to hug the now-crying little girl. "Shh....it's all right. Momma's fine." 

"P-please don't scream like that again, Momma. It scares me." The child sniffled and looked up at her with large blue eyes. 

"I won't again...I'm sorry....Momma just felt something scary for a moment. It's fine now." 

"Scary? You get scared?" 

She smiled, and picked up the little girl. "Everybody gets scared, Bridgie. If we don't get scared from time to time, nice things like laughter don't seem as nice." 

The child pondered this over for a second, then seemed satisfied with the answer. Terra took Bridget and put her near her older brother. "Here, why don't you play with Thom? I have things I have to do." After the girl nodded to her, the ex-Esper walked into her own room, and shut the door. What WAS that feeling? It was...icky. Terra almost laughed at herself. Icky? She had been around these children too long. And yet, she felt almost...complete. It was such a warm feeling, it surprised her but filled her completely every time she looked into one of the children's faces. It sometimes saddened her that she couldn't leave for even a short while, even though many of the children were older now. She sometimes wished that she could visit her old friends. Edgar wrote to her from time to time, and his brother dropped by frequently. Occasionally she'd recieve visits from Locke and Celes, or even Cyan and Gau, but she never got the chance to pay them a visit. More like she chose not to. She never wanted to let these kids out of her sight, even for a day. 

And yet, this feeling she recieved just now chilled her to the bone. It was danger. She didn't know how, or why it was danger, she just felt it within her heart. Since the Esper part of her "died", Terra's abilities had seriously been diminished. Still, she maintained the strength and speed of her old self, not to mention that sixth sense that all Espers had. The ability to sense power. To sense magic. Like the feeling just now. 

Terra sat down at her desk, and began to write a letter. 

* * * 

Thamasa was pretty much as Celes had remembered it, although a bit greener than it was right after the apocolypse. More flowers bloomed, more birds sang in the trees, and it seemed that more children played in the streets. Like most towns, Thamasa was getting pretty close to getting back to normal, and while the grass and sky hadn't fully recovered in this area of the world, it sure beat Zozo. She looked to the left, to see the ocean, and the Falcon parked on the beach. Since Kefka tore the world apart, Thamasa had become an island. The strip of land to the south of it simply sunk underwater, and the island to the north of it rose, revealing the cave to a legendary monstrosity. Celes shuddered when she remembered seeing the Hidon. She had seen many horrors in her life as a general for the Empire, but that thing topped the list. She was grateful that Strago had put an end to it, although she had doubted the old man at first. 

So did Locke. She looked at the thief, and he seemed absorbed in taking in the sights as well, his brown eyes examining every detail around him. He must of felt her eyes on him, since he turned to her and smiled with a wink. Whenever he smiled at her like that, she felt...safe. She didn't understand why, she just knew. He had said that he would never let go. And he hadn't. For a brief time after Kefka's downfall, the loss of magic had seriously effected them all. Celes was effected so directly that it interfered with her life. For two months she became nearly comotose, viewing life through a daze that barely saw and heard anything. While in that stupor, she could remember certain things, small images. She seemed to mostly remember Locke's face, Locke bringing her food, Locke talking to her kindly with a bittersweet smile. After she recovered from her magic withdrawl, he admitted to watching over her like a hawk while she was ill, and tending to her every need. He also said that he didn't tell a soul about it either. He knew that Celes wouldn't want the others to worry, so he kept it to himself. She was amazed and flattered by his devotion, since many men would of just left a woman in that state. She smiled back at him. In many ways, this so-called "treasure hunter" with his lopsided smiles and razor-sharp whiticisms was more of a gentleman than Cyan or even Edgar. 

He looked at her quizzically. "Why are you smiling like that?" 

She shrugged. "I don't know....I guess I'm just happy." 

He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "And that makes me happy. C'mon, let's see if Strago is home." 

Strago's house had recieved a new coat of paint since they had last seen it, and new rows of shrubs lined the sides of the house. The thick oak door was stained and laquered to a shiny deep brown, and it gave a loud booming noise as Locke pounded his fist on it. Promptly after, a hoarse barking was heard on the other side of the door, and some scratching sounds. A vaugely familiar voice spoke in firm tones. "Interceptor, sit!" 

A whine was heard on the other side of the door, and then the dog was silent. The door opened, and the two of them found themselves face-to-face with a more mature Relm. She had just begun showing the signs of womanhood, and the promise that her beautiful face had as a child was beginning to show as well. She smiled at them warmly and embraced Celes. "You guys! What a nice surprise!" 

Locke let the young girl give him a hug as well, patting her back. "Well, we had to drop by. Setzer came by us, and since we had an airship at our disposal, this seemed the best place to go. My my, haven't we grown up?" 

Relm smiled, producing dimples. "I just turned thirteen a week ago. Grandpa says that this daisy is growing up to become a rose. He's such a flatterer." 

Celes yelped and jumped as a wet nose was pressed against her knee. She looked down to see Interceptor looking up at her with red-brown eyes, his whiplike tail wagging slowly. She patted the doberman on the head. 

"And Interceptor says hello, too." Relm giggled. "He's such a nice dog." 

Locke reached out to pet Interceptor, but yanked his hand back quickly as the dog bared fangs at him. "Uh...to you. He never liked me much." 

Interceptor produced a growl that ended when Relm shushed him. "I'm sorry, I forgot my manners. Come in you two, I have some coffee on right now." 

The inside of the Magus' house was changed as well. It seemed less full of the tawdry antiques and dull-colored furnature that Strago owned, but more full of soft apolstry, whispy curtains, and bright paintings on the walls. Apparently Relm had something to do with the refurnishing of the house. She offered them a seat on a blue and white couch and muttered something about coffee as she bustled off into the next room. 

Celes smiled as she looked around. "Well, our little Relm has really changed..." 

The thief shrugged. "She's growing up, Celes. It happens to the best of us. Well, most of us anyway. I don't see myself maturing fully for a few more years." 

She gave a wicked smile. "Maybe it'll happen when you turn 30. It's only a few years off." 

"That's not even funny." 

"Really? I thought it was." 

Relm came back in with three cups of coffee on a tray. "Light creme for Celes..." She set it down in front of her. "...and extra strong, three sugars for Mr. Treasure Hunter." she said, handing a mug to Locke. She then sat down in a chair adjacent to them, her delicate little hands wrapped around a coffee mug. "So, what is this visit really about?" 

Celes sedately crossed her legs. "I see we can't hide things from you at all, can we?" 

The young artist smirked, making her dimples even more pronounced. "You'd be surprised what I can read by looking at a person." Her smile faded, and she looked seriously at them. "I know why you're here. It's that feeling you had yesterday, isn't it?" 

The two of them exchanged a look, then Locke turned back to Relm and nodded. "Yeah. It was Celes. All of a sudden, she was in pain." 

Relm closed her green eyes. "Pain, confusion, a feeling of hatred and wanting. And fear." She opened them to gaze at Celes. "Is that how you felt?" 

The honey-blonde woman nodded slowly. "Yeah...it was a pretty scary feeling too. How...?" 

She shook her head, her pale blond curls bobbing. "I know, because I felt it too. So did Grandpa, and most of the other people in this town. So did Terra, we recieved a letter from her this morning. Grandpa wrote to the others, and requested that we all meet here. I guess that there was no need for him to write to you, since you came here on your own." 

"Which is good, since we have some matters to discuss." A voice said from the doorway. The speaker walked to his favorite chair, and sat down with a weary grunt. Strago was not looking good. His eyes seemed tired, and his face was even more deeply lined than it was before. He rubbed at his temples with a sigh. "Since you're one of the people this concerns, Celes, I may as well explain some things." He looked at her sternly. "Magic is not dead." 

Celes shook her head. "That's not right...if it's not dead, then why haven't I felt it before?" 

"You did. That's what your "withdrawl" was. It wasn't the feeling of magic dying. It was the feeling of magic shifting, and reforming." 

She turned to Locke. "Did you tell him about that?" 

He raised his hands defensively. "You know I promised not to tell anybody about that. Damned if I know why he knows." 

"He knows, because it happened to me too. And Terra." Relm sighed. "We never brought it up, since everybody was getting on with their lives, and we didn't want to interrupt anything. Terra wrote to Grandpa when it happened, but it effected her differently, just as it effected me differently. Terra got severe headaches, and lost her temper often. I had trouble concentrating, and a lot of time things confused me." 

"And I," Celes said. "was disoriented. I vaguely remember what happened." 

"It seemed to only effect you three. I believe it has something to do with the Espers, seeing that you were the only ones conjoined with them." Strago scratched at his whispy hair. "When magicite disappeared, it effected you directly." 

Locke frowned. "I used magicite too, and magic. Why didn't it effect me? Or Edgar? Or Gau? Or any of the rest of us?" 

Strago waggled a finger at him. "A woman's body is different from a man's. Or have you forgotten?" 

The thief actually blushed. 

Leaning back in his chair, the blue mage glanced at the clock, and nodded. "Good. The others should be arriving in the next few hours. Make yourselves comfortable, you two. We may be here a while." 

* * *


	3. Chapter 2 -- Not Quite Gone

"Rebirth" -- Chapter Two **CHAPTER TWO  
Not Quite Gone**

As they day went on, the others in their little group arrived. Setzer traveled to Doma to pick up Cyan, Sabin and Gau, while Edgar traveled by ship with Terra and Mog. Umaro did not put in an appearance, however, and Gogo simply could not be reached. Eventually, when they had all arrived and were all situated in Strago's living room, the old mage stood and told them what had been happening. 

"It appears," he said. "That magic is indeed not dying. It is instead remaking itself." 

Sabin knitted his eyebrows together in confusion. "How's that? We saw it die, didn't we? With the magicite?" 

Strago shook his head. "You saw the Espers' essences dissipating, and even the Esper part of Terra dissipating, but magic itself never dies." He paced slowly as he spoke. "One thing about this world, is it always finds a way to reform itself, and magic always finds a way to be reborn. The war of the Magi? The whole business that set us back a millennia? Because of magic. Because the crystals shattered. They thought magic was dead too, but then Espers were discovered. Magic was reborn again. Now the Espers are gone, and it is time for magic to show its face in a different form." He turned to them. "I believe that the disturbance that some of you felt is caused by magic shifting and twisting." 

"I didn't feel anything." Edgar interjected. 

"I said some of you. Mainly the women. Terra, Celes and Relm all could tell you their experiences." 

Edgar looked across the room at Terra. "Is that true?" 

The green-haired woman nodded. "Yes. Right after we all went out separate ways, I went into a strange state...my thinking was effected, as was my mind. I had migraines frequently." 

The king sighed. "Why didn't you tell me? I would of sent you a doctor." 

She shrugged with a light toss of her shoulders, as if dismissing the matter. "I didn't think it was too important to interrupt what you were doing. Besides, I thought it was just stress." 

"I became too edgy to paint anything." Relm said. "I lost most of my coordination and my concentration. It was very frustrating." 

"And I became a vegetable for a few months." Celes exchanged a look with Locke. "We didn't tell any of you, because we didn't want to worry you." 

"Same here." Relm said. "We had just finished saving the world. I knew we needed some R & R, so I didn't bring it up to anybody but Grandpa." 

Setzer toyed with one of his steel cards, flipping it over and over in his hand. "So it seems that a lack of communication is the problem here. I think the next time anything weird happens to us, we should talk to each other, not hide in our own little corners." 

Cyan nodded. "What Setzer says doth have merit to it. Perhaps we should keep the lines of communication open." 

Strago shook his head. "Even though we've all shared this together now, I've known of the problem for a while, and I'm still trying to find the source. I'd like to ask the rest of you: have any of you noticed anything...strange lately?" 

Gau politely raised his hand. "I did. I've gone back to the Veldt, and the animals felt uneasy. Some told me about strange shakings in the ground." 

Sabin frowned. "Earthquakes on the Veldt, huh? Is that odd?" 

Gau nodded. "The Veldt isn't anywhere near volcanoes, or other places that cause earthquakes." 

"Yes." Cyan agreed. "The Veldt doth not sit on any fault lines, and even though Kefka hath reshaped the world, I do not think that he could totally reshape where earthquakes occur." 

"Don't be too sure." Edgar said. "While the Veldt was once on the largest plate on the planet, that plate may of broken up into smaller plates when things were re-arranged. That's how many other things got reshaped and moved around." He looked at Strago. "The plates are still moving, they're always moving, but things are shifting around at an amazing rate. Some of my topographers measured the rate at which the southwest continent moves to the northwest one. Normally, continents move at the rate of one inch per year. These continents move at the rate of three or four feet per year. They estimate that the two continents will collide in three hundred years, and form a new continent." 

Gau ran a large hand over his dark blond hair, which was no longer green-tinged since he started bathing. It was cut shorter now, and put back into a neat ponytail, much like Cyan. "Then what would that have to do with the earthquakes? Or magic?" 

Edgar looked at Strago again. "Is it possible that some of this shifting of the earth's tectonic plates deals with magic being reborn?" 

Strago scratched at his bushy beard thoughtfully for a moment. "It's definitely a possibility. It's not the first time it happened. But even then, the world was being reshaped as new gods or goddesses took over. The three statues, the three goddesses, are now gone, and no one new is taking over. Magic has always tied in with deities, but without new ones, I don't know how it's coming around. That's what has me baffled." 

Setzer palmed the card he had been toying with, and slid it down his sleeve to add it to the innumerable decks he had hidden there. "Well, I think it's settled, then. We check out what's underground. If things are funny with the earth, we check the earth. We probably should start with the Veldt. I'll be waiting for all of you on deck of the Falcon." The gambler grinned. "Sounds like we're up for a helluva lotta fun." 

* * * 

Gau stretched his long, gangly limbs and breathed in deeply. It had been a while. Even though his new life with Cyan was interesting and even fun, he'd always consider the Veldt his true home. The animals that many considered vicious or fearsome were simple friends to him, companions that shared a bond with the boy that was different than human friendship and unique in its own sense. 

Relm came to stand beside him. "You've changed, Gau. I never thought you'd become civilized." 

He smiled a sharp-toothed grin. "On the surface, I'm just another boy, well-maintained and on his best behavior. On the inside, I'm just as wild as I always was." Relm noted that Gau had started to pick up on Cyan's accent. He turned to look down at her. "You can't tame a wild animal completely. Even chocobos and cattle still dream about running through fields, living free." _You've changed too,_ he thought. "We're both growing up, Relm." 

"Yeah...scary, huh?" She giggled. "I think it scares the adults more than us." 

Gau laughed, it was a more pleasant laugh, not the harsh ugly one he once had. Relm decided that he wasn't a stinky little rat anymore, but perhaps somebody she could relate to. The only two people in her age range in their exclusive group were Gau and Mog. Gau was too much like an animal, and Mog was too...weird. Relm found herself bored at times, and actually spent more time talking to the adults than the two boys. Now, maybe things would change. She found herself smiling. 

Gau took her smile as something else. "I know, it's great to be back here, isn't it? The Veldt always has some certain peace." He turned to look at the group of the adults, who were all deep in conversation. Edgar and Locke were debating. They always argued, and the debate was usually solved by Terra. For some reason, she had the ability to make them behave. Gau saw Locke shout and wave his arms in the air at Edgar, while the young king shouted back and prodded the thief in the chest with an angry finger. 

Relm sighed. "Why do adults always have to complicate things? Getting along isn't too hard to do, if you try." 

He shrugged. "It makes them happy. Adults play different kinds of games. What Locke and Edgar do is a game. But maybe I should end it." He then raised his face, open his mouth and let out a long, mournful howl. The two men stopped yelling, and turned with the others to look at Gau, as the young man started to howl again. 

Cyan walked over to Gau. "What have I told thee, Gau? Behaving in such a way is unacceptable!" 

He stopped howling, and looked at his adoptive father. "I'm sorry, but I was trying to get you all to stop yelling at each other. Besides, I want to ask some questions." 

"Ah, I see. Ask away, then." 

"Not you. Them." Gau pointed at a cloud of dust in the distance that moved closer to them. Low grunts were heard from the herd of animals that reached them with surprising speed. Within moments, a herd of Bufflax had reached the group, watching them with wary piglike eyes. A few other animals were mixed in, something deerlike in nature and even a Gobbler that perched on a nearby sage tree. Gau stepped forward, and made some grunting sounds. One of the Bufflax pawed at the earth with a cloven hoof, and growled low. The vulture-like Gobbler fanned its wings, and screeched excitedly. Gau nodded in response, then turned to the group. "They say that the earthquakes are getting bigger to the south of here, near the caves. The bird says that he saw green stuff that was not grass." 

Sabin looked baffled. "Green stuff that isn't grass? That doesn't help us much." 

"Sorry, but that's what he said." 

"Maybe that bird's been eating some of that green stuff...." Sabin mumbled in a failed attempt at humor. 

Gau clambered up on the back of the Bufflax that spoke to him. Cyan made a strangled sound. "Gau, what are thou doing? Get off there!" 

"It's okay, he says that he'll take me there. You're all welcome to take a ride too." 

Locke wrinkled his nose. "I'll pass. I'd prefer not to smell like a stockyard." 

"We'll follow in the Falcon." Setzer offered. 

The airship followed the herd of animals easily, with Gau riding in the lead. Interceptor followed the herd of animals happily like a puppy, every once in a while barking at the deerlike creatures. Celes stood on deck, watching them. She knew who came up beside her, she didn't even have to look to know his presence. 

"Gau's really changed, hasn't he?" Locke said. 

"Mmm." She nodded in agreement. "He's becoming so much like Cyan it's uncanny. But it's also a nice change...if Gau can be raised as the perfect gentleman, then it might do the world some good. Gentlemen are hard to find nowadays." 

"Sorry I disappoint you." 

"That wasn't directed at you." 

"I know, I'm just teasing." He scanned the Veldt up ahead, and saw the rocky knoll that housed the entrance to the extensive cave system underneath the Veldt. "There it is." He frowned. "I wonder if this is just a waste of our time." 

"I don't know, I think it's nice to get out of Koligen every once in a while. And I know you, you're just as happy to get out and moving as anybody else." 

The thief smiled at her. "Yeah, I guess I am. I don't want to get too domestic...yet. Besides, who knows what I might find on this little outing? Maybe something else to add to my collection." 

Setzer brought the Falcon around the leeward side of the knoll to land on more even ground. Mog and the gambler remained on board as the rest of the group exited the airship. Gau was waiting for them. "This is the spot. This used to be where the underground part of the Serpent trench ran, but there's not water in there anymore." He looked up to the Gobbler, and the bird cocked its head aside, cawking. "He says that instead of water, there's green stuff. It runs like water." 

Edgar sighed. "This isn't much to go on, Gau. Are you sure our coming here was a good idea?" 

Gau crossed his arms. "Do you have any suggestions, then?" He waited for a response briefly. "No? Then let's just look at this green water stuff for now." He turned and went into the cave. 

Locke chuckled. "Definitely getting like Cyan..." 

Usually, the cave was illuminated by a few torches set there by roving thieves that used it as their hideout, but this time it was completely dark. They fumbled around in the darkness for a few minutes, resulting in a few stubbed toes and some muttered oaths. "Wait a second," they heard Edgar say. There was the sound of something striking metal, a few sparks, and then a sudden glow from a lantern. They all blinked in the light until their eyes adjusted, and then moved on. Terra kept in stride with Edgar, obviously wanting to be near the light he held at shoulder-level. The young king smirked at her. 

"Afraid of the dark?" 

Her face twisted into an annoyed frown. "Don't even tease me right now..." 

"I'll let you hold my hand." 

"I'd rather bite it off." 

"Rowrl..." said Sabin, raising his claw to emphasize his point. "Touchy today, aren't we?" 

"Leave her alone, you two." Locke chided. "We're here for a reason, and that reason ain't to pick on each other. We can do that later." He looked around the cavern, his eyes sharp in the dark. "Hm. I don't get it...there doesn't seem to be any "green stuff" anywhere." 

Edgar raised his lantern higher to examine the cave walls. "Well, maybe it's growing on the ceiling or something." 

Cyan looked up. "Nay, good king. The bird claimed that it ran like water, and it would drip upon our heads if it was on the ceiling." 

"What's that up there?" Relm asked, pointing. 

"Where?" Edgar raised his lantern to the twist in the cavern ahead of them, but all they managed to see was a wall. 

"No, cover the lantern a minute, I thought I saw some light." 

He did so, closing the metal flaps on the side of the lamp. Relm took a few steps ahead, fairly sure of where she was going in the dark. "There.....right in front of us....it's down this turn; looks like it goes to the left. Do you see it?" 

Gau blinked in the dark. A faint light illuminated the wall ahead of them, making Relm's slight figure stand out darkly against the eerie backdrop. The bird was right...it wasn't something growing, it was something glowing. 

The light was green. 

Relm slowly walked towards the light, and disappeared around the corner. Strago ran after her. "Relm, stay back with us! You have no idea what that is..." 

She turned to him, her face sickly-looking in the green glow. "But don't you feel it, grandpa? It feels strange." 

Cyan stepped around the corner, the others close behind him. "I don't like the feel of this." 

"See? Even Cyan's spooked. Maybe this is what we were looking for, grandpa. You can stay here if you want, but I'm going ahead." She spun back towards the light quickly, and moved on ahead. Relm hoped that her voice didn't let on, but she was seriously frightened. She sensed something dark and foreboding at the end of the tunnel, something that was in the light. For all she knew, it could be something like Atma, something that lay in wait until they were close, and then went in for the kill. A low growl was heard from her lower left. Apparently Interceptor felt the same way. She pet the dog on the head. "Thanks." 

The dog made a growl that ended in a whine. Gau came up next to the doberman, and nodded. "He says that he's just as afraid as you are, but he'll do what it takes to protect you." 

"You understand him too?" 

"I understand a lot." He smiled, fangs shining in the pale green light. The smile faded as his eyes fixed on an opening ahead of them. A bit bolder than the rest, he rushed ahead, and went into the open cavern ahead of them. Relm ran after Gau with the others close behind her, calling his name. His response was one of the animalistic growling sounds he used to make when he still lived on the Veldt. Now what? Was he getting attacked? They ran into the cave, weapons drawn. 

Then they came to a halt once out in the open, swords, pikes and daggers held numbly in their hands. Gau stood facing the center of the room, a few paces ahead, in a crouched position, making growling sounds. 

"Holy shit..." Locke breathed. Nobody said anything else. 

In front of Gau was a pool of liquid. Green liquid that put off a green-white light, making their shadows appear reddish against the wall behind them. Every once in a while the liquid would stir with some current, or even the occasional bubble would break the surface. Interceptor took a few steps forwards while whining, his red-brown eyes not fixed on the green ooze, but the man Gau sat growling at. The man was crouched low to the ground, not in an offensive or even defensive position, but more so he could closely examine the pool. Interceptor gave a low whine, his long tail tucked between his legs, yet wagging slightly. The familiar figure, decked in black, stood up to face them. 

"...Shadow?" Celes ventured. 

The ninja narrowed his eyes at them. "You are not supposed to be here. I suggest you forget you saw this." 

Interceptor pricked his ears up at the sound of his former master's voice, then lay them flat, growling. Relm looked at the dog, then at Shadow. Why would Interceptor growl at Shadow? That dog loved the ninja, didn't he? Something was strange here. 

"Leave. Stay out of my way." The ninja's voice had a cold edge to it, instead of its usual deadpan tone. He took a step back, there was a flash of light, and suddenly he was gone. The group stood there stunned while Interceptor growled at the place where Shadow had stood. Relm walked over to the dog and put a hand on his back to calm him. That was weird. Really....weird, she thought. 

"What the hell was that just now?" Locke grumbled in back of her, obviously sharing her sentiments. The thief walked down to stand next to the two teens and Interceptor. "Well, I guess Shadow's alive, and as friendly as ever." 

"Gau doesn't....uh...I mean, I don't like this." Obviously when startled, the boy went back to his old ways. He stood up straight, and looked down at Locke, since he was now taller than him. Most people were. "Didn't you see his eyes?" 

"Yeah, they were creepy, as always." 

"No. His eyes were blue. A pale blue. Shadow's eyes were always amber." 

"A trick of the light?" Cyan offered. "That green liquid does set off the colors, which we can tell by looking at each other. The Figaro brothers' hair is as green as Terra's in this light." 

"I saw it." Relm said. "His eyes seemed almost.....glowey. The color was unnatural. I felt something too, but it seems to be this green stuff in front of us." 

Interceptor sniffed at the liquid, which put off a small amount of heat in the normally chill cavern, although no steam rose from it. The doberman whined low and sneezed. Sabin laughed. "He doesn't like how it smells." 

Edgar ventured forward to the edge of the pool, examining it critically with his brilliantly blue eyes. "It doesn't seem like water at all, it's too viscous. It's more like ooze." He sniffed. "Strange, I don't smell anything from it either." The king crouched and reached a hand out to touch it. 

"Brother, don't do that! You don't know what that gunk is!" 

Edgar shrugged. "I don't think it'll hurt to touch it. Interceptor got fairly close to it, and he seems fine." He licked his lips, and tentatively reached out to the ooze, barely touching it. "It's warm." Closing his fingers, he scooped up a handful of it with his palm, and tested the consistency of it with his thumb. "Warm, and sort of tingly. It feels odd." The ooze in his hand suddenly bubbled, and with a grunt, Edgar tried to fling it off. The thick green liquid's glow grew brighter as it clung to his hand, and began to writhe like a snake, slithering up his arm into the cuff of his jacket. He tried to fling it off again, his blue eyes growing wide with fear. Edgar screamed, scrabbling backwards until he hit a wall, still flailing his now-covered arm around. The gob of ooze on his arm fell off onto the floor, and slithered back to join the pool at the center of the room. Interceptor growled at the ooze as it made its way back home, while Terra rushed down next to Edgar. "Are you all right?" 

The young king was trembling violently, and there were tears standing in his eyes. "That stuff.....it's....it feels....alive. It said to me...." He groaned and rubbed at his face. "I can't explain it, it just started talking to me by invading my mind. I couldn't shut it out." He turned to his brother , who also crouched at his side. "I think I'm all right now. I don't know what happened just now, but I don't want to get near that guk anymore." 

Locke prodded at the ooze with the end of a dirk. "Maybe this is what caused the women to have problems. I mean, look what it did to Edgar." He lifted the dagger and watched the transparent liquid drip down slowly. "Do you think this stuff is magic?" 

"Liquid magic?" Strago stepped to the edge of the pool, next to the treasure hunter. "Hm. It's a possibility. I think we should take some to Thamasa...some of the other people there can look at it too." 

Terra looked at the liquid. "Anybody have a potion?" 

"Here, I have one..." Sabin offered, pulling a small bottle out of his pocket. Terra took it from him, and offered to Edgar. The king shook his head in refusal. 

"Oh well, I guess it's a waste then." She said, unstoppering the bottle and dumping the contents on the floor. Sabin stepped forward. 

"Hey, I paid for that!" 

"I'll pay you the difference when we get back to a town, if you want. We need something to put this gunk in, after all." She walked up to Locke and held up the bottle in front of him. "You're wearing gloves, why don't you scoop some up for us?" 

Locke looked at his fingerless gloves, then decided that they would offer more protection than bare hands, and nodded, taking the bottle from Terra. "It doesn't seem to hate me like it did Edgar anyway." He knelt down and carefully dangled the bottle in the thick, transparent liquid by the small thread tied around its neck, and watched until bubbles stopped coming up from it. He pulled it up, letting the excess goop dribble from the sides of the glass vial. The whole process took a while. 

"Hurry up already." Sabin said gruffly. "I want to get out of here before I'm 40." 

"Do you want to do this? Besides, I don't want to touch it and wind up freaked out like Edgar." He took his bandanna off his head, and wrapped the bottle with it, stoppering the top off with its cork. "There. We've got the goods, now let's get the hell out of here." 

* * * 

"So you mean that Edgar actually went apeshit when he touched it? I've never seen Edgar lose his cool." 

"This isn't ordinary stuff, Setzer." Locke said. "I felt all tingly just when I got close enough to gather some." 

"Then why didn't you wig out too?" Setzer idly flipped a coin over the tops of his knuckles, a trick that normally prestidigitarians did, but the gambler merely did out of boredom. 

The thief shrugged. "I was careful not to touch it. I didn't want it to....do whatever it did to Edgar. Damned if I'll scream like a pansy." 

"Watch it..." Sabin said. "You know that Edgar's no pansy." 

"Sorry, it's just a joke wasted only because your brother is absent at the moment. If you want, I can pick on him later." Locke looked at Setzer, who had ditched the coin and now was toying with a deck of cards. "You gonna fiddle with those too, or are you gonna deal?" 

The gambler's scarred face broke into a grin, and he dealt hands for himself and the other two men at the table. Terra watched them across the room. Whatever happened briefly in that cave, they were obviously blowing it off like it was nothing, or making it seem that way. Men tended to act as if major things were nothing, and made small things seem huge. Especially when dealing with women; they always did their best to make sure that a lady was all right, obviously not knowing that when doing so they got in the way. Well, most men anyway... 

Terra stood up and wandered across the room to talk to Celes. Celes was always blunt and straight-forward, and never let a man be too irritating while around her. She did allow Locke to continue to watch over her, though. Terra sighed. Was that what you did when you loved somebody? It must be like that, since whenever Locke felt that he was helping Celes, he seemed happy. 

Celes was seated by a window, looking at Relm's sketchbook. Terra sat down on the other side of Relm. "What are you looking at?" 

Relm smiled, dimples popping up. "Oh, a picture of Gau I just drew. He looks much nicer now that he bathes, wouldn't you say?" Terra looked down at the portrait, done in a normal pencil. The face and the shading were so lifelike, she expected the eyes to blink at her and the mouth to split into one of Gau's fang-toothed grins. Relm always had amazing talent, and she was continuing to increase her artistic skills as she got older. Terra wistfully wished that she could draw, but the best she could manage were trees, and some very accomplished stick figures. Relm babbled on to Celes about the picture, and how she asked Gau to sit down for it. Terra had a thought that came up suddenly. 

"Relm? Would you do something for me?" 

The girl nodded. "Sure I would. What did you want?" 

Terra knew that Relm had a good memory, and she hoped that she could remember what somebody looked like. Relm had only seen him a few times, but perhaps that was enough. "Would you....draw me a picture of my father?" 

Relm smiled softly, and nodded. "Of course...but..." She turned to Celes. "I'm going to do something sort of....weird. Promise not to tell the others?" 

Celes looked a bit confused. "Are you going to sketch a replicate of him, like you can for monsters?" 

She shook her head. "No, something else." She turned back to Terra. "I don't exactly remember what your father looked like, so you'll have to do something for me." 

"Describe him?" 

"No, just think of him. Think of his face. Just for a few minutes." 

Terra blinked, but did as she was told. She thought of her father's tan skin and green hair, of his red eyes and elegantly curving horns. It wasn't too difficult, once she had regained her memory of childhood, she remembered playing with her father as a toddler, of his face and his smiles. She felt a small touch on her mind, and her thoughts broke up. 

"Don't worry, that's just me." Relm said. 

"How...?" 

"It's okay, just think of your father again, I need to see him through you." She turned the page in her sketchbook, and started to quickly draw the outline of a face with her pencil. Terra didn't try to ask how Relm got into her mind, but instead concentrated on Maduin again. After a few minutes, she grew tired of thinking of the Esper's face, father or not. "Are you done, or do I still have to think of how he looked?" 

Relm didn't look up from where she was drawing strands of hair. "Mm? Oh, no...I got the image in my mind now. You can relax again." 

For a few minutes, the two women watched her render the horns in the picture, and then Terra had to finally ask. "I'm sorry, but I have to know. How did you get that from my mind?" 

"Oh, that? I'm a telepath." The offhand way she stated it made it seem like the question was rudimentary. 

"You mean, you can speak to people with your mind?" Celes asked. 

"Uh-huh. But I don't do that, it's considered rude." She stopped shading, and tapped the pencil against her chin. "The ability developed in me not too long ago....it usually doesn't come up until a subject hits puberty. And it's fairly rare, even in Thamasa. A telepath has the ability to get inside the minds of others, and they're also very skilled at other things. Like my art...because of that, grandpa thought I might be telepathic, but he had to wait until I got a bit older to be sure. When I was twelve, that's when it started." She did some detailing around the eyes. "But only you two and grandpa know. I don't want the others to find out, they might be afraid to be around me." 

Celes put her arms around Relm's small shoulders and gave her a sisterly hug. "Never...why would you think that?" 

"Well, people are afraid you can read all their thoughts, and everybody have things in themselves that they like to hide. I don't want people to be afraid that I'd stumble across some deep-down secret in them. So I just keep my mouth shut instead." She examined the picture critically, nodded in approval, and signed it in the lower left corner. "Here you go, Terra. Maduin." She carefully ripped the picture out of the sketchbook, and handed it to the ex-Esper. Terra looked at the picture 

A smile slowly crept over Terra's face. The picture was absolutely beautiful. "Relm this is wonderful....thank you so much." She gave the girl a hug. "I want to show it to the others. Is that okay?" 

"Sure, just don't tell them how I knew what Maduin looked like." 

"I won't." She stood up. "Where's Edgar?" 

Celes pointed to the ceiling with a slender finger. "Flying. I think he's still spooked from what happened earlier, so he volunteered. Probably to be alone." 

"I think I should talk to him, to see if he's all right." 

"Suit yourself." She then turned back to look at Relm's sketchbook. 

Picture still held in her hands, Terra wandered up the ladder to the deck of the Falcon. It was now dark, and the moon had risen just above the horizon, making it appear huge as it hovered above the dark waters of the ocean. It cast the entire deck in a soft blue-white glow, much like the ooze in the cave, but with a more peaceful atmosphere. Edgar stood at the wheel, his pale blonde ponytail looking almost silver in the moonlight as it whipped behind him in the wind. Even though it was cool, the young king had left his cloak below decks, and stood in his royal finery. Terra clutched the picture to her chest, and wondered what to say to him. While she could manage children well enough, she was never good at talking to adults when they were upset. She saw his shoulders rise and fall as he sighed, and decided that saying anything would be better than saying nothing. "Edgar?" 

The young king turned slightly to catch her out of the corner of his eye, then turned back towards the front of the ship. "Hello, Terra." 

She came up to stand beside him. "So this is where you are..." 

"Yeah." The normally jovial king was silent as he rested his hands on the wheel. Terra looked at his hands, at the confident way they steered the ship's course. No wonder he came up here...it seemed almost like a security blanket to him. It was obvious that when Edgar was near any kind of machinery, he felt at peace. "What do you have there?" He asked, looking at the paper she held against her chest. 

Terra stopped the examination of his hands, and held the paper out so he could see, holding it tightly so the wind wouldn't whip it out of her hands. "It's my father...the Esper Maduin. Relm drew it for me." 

"It's a very lovely picture, Terra. Just be careful with it, you don't want it to blow away up here." 

That's it? He didn't even add "It's not as lovely as you", which Terra expected him to say. He didn't even try to act charming around her ever since the incident in the cave. Maybe he was embarrassed, or maybe he was just not up to his normal tricks. "Good advice." She said, not knowing what else to say. She carefully folded up the paper, and slipped it inside her sleeve, and then looked up at Edgar. His eyes seemed dark and withdrawn, his lips pressed together tightly. "Are you going to be all right?" 

He sighed softly, slowing the ship to a hover, and closed his eyes. "No." he said truthfully. "At the moment, no. I just need time." 

"Edgar, what happened when that stuff touched you? You're not hurt, are you?" 

He remained silent for a moment, then nodded to answer her question, opening his eyes. "It didn't hurt me physically. It's more of a mental thing. I heard voices inside my head...they blamed me for things that happened. They blamed me for Kefka, they blamed me for people dying, they blamed me for homes lost. I didn't know how to respond, so I tried to push them out of my mind, even as I tried to get that substance off my hand. Then two voices came to me." He slowly took in a deep breath, and exhaled sharply. "I heard my parents, Terra. They talked to me too." 

She looked at him with sympathy in her green eyes. "Did they blame you too?" 

"No". He said in a low voice. "They...said something my brother once accused me of. He said that I never cared for my parents, that....that I only wanted to be king." Edgar closed his eyes, clenching his teeth. "They said this to me, they said that I never loved them. They said that the would never be proud of me. I never thought..." He stopped, trying to maintain his composure. Terra reached out and gently touched his cheek, not knowing any words to say. He opened his icy blue eyes partway, and Terra could see that once again they held tears. "Terra..." 

She dropped her hand and folded her arms around him. At first he stiffened, as if not expecting this gesture of empathy from her, then he relaxed and put his arms around her shoulders, resting his head against her soft green hair. "I did love them Terra," he said in a thick whisper next to her ear. "I tried to tell them, but they didn't listen." 

"I believe you. It's all right, I believe you." That was all she could say to him, and all she could do for him was stand on the deck and let him hold her. 

* * *


	4. Chapter 3 -- The Flow of Life

"Rebirth" -- Chapter Three **CHAPTER THREE  
The Flow of Life**

They reached Thamasa late that night, and they group dispersed between the inn and Strago's house for places to stay the night, while Setzer remained on board his airship. Strago carefully placed the bottle of liquid on the kitchen countertop, and put a bell jar over the top of it in make sure it didn't try anything strange. Locke leaned on his knees to peer at the bottle, which was still wrapped in his blue and white bandanna. Even through the heavy cloth, the ooze gave off that strange glow. 

"This is some weird shit." he said quietly, so not to wake the others in the next room. "I don't know why, but I have a feeling that this might be what we're looking for." 

Strago gave a crooked smile. "Not a scrap of magic in you anymore, and you feel that way too? I think you're right, though: this is probably the right place to start. I'm glad that Gau brought up the earthquakes on the Veldt, although whether this is tied to them or not still remains to be seen." 

"Strange how it glows like that, isn't it? You'd think that once we put it in a bottle, or at least away from the rest of the ooze it would lose its glow." 

"It's not like a fire, it doesn't go out when it's taken away from heat or air. It's something completely different, and I have my suspicions on what it is." 

Locke nodded. "I think everybody's come up with a theory for this gunk, but probably the only person that really knows what it is or what it does is Edgar, and he doesn't want to talk about what happened." 

"If something strange started crawling up your arm and talking to you, wouldn't you want to try to forget about it?" 

"I guess you have a point there." He stood up straight. "I'd best get to bed, before Celes comes and drags me off by my ear." 

"Don't you want your bandanna back?" 

He scratched at his sandy-colored hair. "Nah. Keep it. Besides, I need to let my head get fresh air every once in a while." 

* * * 

The next morning the ooze, bottle, bandanna, bell jar and all was moved to the Elder's house and placed on a table, where several mages crowded around it to squint at the glowing fluid curiously. Strago joined the other mages in their inspection, every once in a while adding his comments to the babble that rose above their heads. Celes stood off to the side, fascinated by the whole ordeal while Relm sat at the far end of the room with her sketchbook, capturing the moment on paper. 

Edgar stood in the doorway, watching the commotion. He had pointedly avoided the rest of the group ever since the ooze had spoke to him, more out of trying to regain his self-respect more than out of embarrassment. Strangely, the only person that had talked to him about it was Terra. He figured she would be the last one to offer him any sort of comfort, since Sabin was usually the one who would find him and talk to him. He hadn't been that upset in twelve years. Perhaps Sabin knew that he wanted to be alone, or at least thought that's what he wanted. His brother probably would of been the ideal person to talk to, and when he heard somebody come up on deck he thought it was Sabin. It was almost a surprise when he saw that Terra stood there, clutching the picture Relm gave to her, with a searching look in her large green eyes. She had looked lovely in the moonlight, but Edgar was too wrapped in his own thoughts to actually comment. 

He sighed, and shifted his weight. Why did she do that to him? He always had been, well....smitten with her, although his demeanor just made it seem as if she was just another pretty face to him. At least at this point, he felt that she valued him as a friend, but that's as close as it got. It never seemed to him that she took him seriously. He wasn't trying to talk her in circles by being gentlemanly or pleasant, he was simply being Edgar. Apparently what Edgar thought "being Edgar" is was much different than what Terra thought. Maybe after last night, she would know that he was more than just a stuffed peacock that set his eyes on every skirt that passed before him. Maybe she would realize that he could act human, no....that he _was_ human. 

The subject of his thoughts poked her head into the doorway next to him, and looked around the room critically. "Are they doing anything to that goop, or just staring at it?" She stood on her toes, trying to see over the heads of the excited mages. 

Since he was several inches taller than her, and most in the room, Edgar could clearly see what they were doing. "They just seem to be looking at it right now. Nobody seems to want to poke and prod at it yet. It's still in that bottle, and in a jar. I can't say I blame them." 

Terra narrowed her eyes, squinting straight ahead at the mages. "There's a lot of magical energy in this room. The mages are trying all sorts of things with their minds, since they know that magic isn't dead. Maybe they think that green liquid is magic too." 

"Is that what you think?" 

She nodded. "I can feel it. It doesn't feel exactly like magic, but more like..." she sighed. "Here, let's go outside and talk about it. I don't want them to hear my theory, and then jump on my back to get more information out of me." 

Edgar looked at the group huddled around their new toy, and then stepped outside with her. After they had walked to the enormous fir tree in the center of town, Terra leaned against it and stared at the ocean in the distance. "I think I know why it was talking to you." 

He propped his arm against the tree next to her, and rested his head against his hand. "You do?" 

"Yeah, I have an idea, anyway. When you cast magic...or when we used to cast magic, we used a kind of essence. We have two essences in our bodies, our soul essence, and our life essence. When we all learned magic from the Espers, they lent us their remaining soul essences before they died, the essences that were contained inside the magicite. That's what magicite was. With life energy gone, the soul energy had to go somewhere, so...." She looked up at him. "Tell me, do you remember how magicite felt when you touched it?" 

He idly toyed with a piece of his hair, and thought back their fighting days. "Hmm, I think I do. To me, they felt....warm. Sort of tingly." 

"Exactly. And how did that goop in the cave feel when you touched it?" 

A small smirk crept across his face once he got the meaning of the discussion. "Very, very similar. So is that green stuff what the magicite turned into?" 

"Maybe something close. We all have life and soul energy within us, magic or not. Maybe that stuff is what happens to all the life and soul energy after it leaves the body, after death." 

"That has a sort of logic to it, but why didn't it appear until just now?" 

She chewed on her lip for a minute, trying to think of an answer. "Maybe....because it never had a reason to show up before. Maybe, because this is what Strago said, because magic is being reborn. And maybe because after death, souls have no place to go. The other side used to be maintained by the three goddesses, but now that they're gone, there's nobody to maintain the realm of the dead. So the souls of the dead go into the ground, from where the bodies are buried, and they've converged into that goop." 

Edgar was amazed at this woman's thinking. At first glance, many would think Terra wasn't overly bright, which obviously was a ruse of hers. "I didn't know you thought this deeply, Terra. I never thought you to be one to formulate a complicated hypothesis. I probably couldn't even think that one up." 

"You don't think it's a crazy idea?" 

He took her hand and kissed it. "No. I think it's one of the most intelligent things I've heard anybody say." 

She rewarded him with a soft smile. "How are you feeling today?" 

"Much better. The whole incident effected me psychologically, but it's nothing that I can't pass off." 

"Good, because those people in there are going to want to ask you questions." 

He sighed ruefully. "Of course, since I was the only idiot that touched that guk." He ran his thumb over the tops of her knuckles, and she pulled her hand back, obviously not comfortable. There she goes again, he thought. Had me going for a minute, and then she shoots me down. "You know, if they're going to ask me questions, I'm going to make them listen to your theory." He said in a more businesslike tone, trying to remove the discomfort he set upon her. 

"I don't know if they'd like my theory. Usually men don't like to listen to the opinions of women, especially old dry ones like those mages." 

"I'll make them listen if I have to, and where did you get such ideas? A woman's opinion is as good as any man's, and sometimes better. It's a sound theory, Terra, and it's something worth looking into. If this liquid is really the magical energy in our bodies after we die, then maybe we can find a way to use it." She nodded in response, and he offered her his arm. "Let's go back to talk to them about it, and get the others on the way. Maybe they have ideas too, hopefully ones that'd back up yours." 

* * * 

The room all looked up at her dumbly as she got up in front of them to explain her idea. Terra rubbed at her arm nervously, trying not to make eye contact with too many of them. She always felt uneasy when speaking in front of groups of people, even if half the group was her friends. She turned to look at Edgar, who stood against the wall to her right. He nodded at her, and she gave a small sigh. Might as well tell them. 

"As Edgar told you all, I have an idea what this green fluid is. While I'm no scientist or even a full-blown mage like some of you here, I do know what magic is, and what it feels like. It's part of me being who I am." She looked at the vial inside the bell jar, wrapped in the bandanna. "It used to be that when we died, our souls passed over to the other side, to the realm of the dead. Now that the three goddesses are gone, the realm of the dead doesn't exist anymore, and the souls have no place to go. Not only the souls, but the energies of our bodies. We have two energies: soul energy, and life energy. These two essences are in every living thing, and when things used to die, those essences would travel with souls to the realm of the dead." She turned back to her audience, a little more sure of herself. "When Edgar touched the green liquid, voices spoke to him. I believe that is because that liquid is what's left of us when we die...the parts that don't decompose: the soul, and our essences." Terra turned to Edgar. "You heard the souls of the dead speaking to you." 

Edgar visibly paled, and nodded. "They weren't happy either. They seemed fairly upset about dying, or maybe being upset at being turned into goop." 

"The whole thing sounds ludicrous to me." one of the older mages said with a disdainful sniff. "If that's what happened, then why is this green stuff only appearing now? Plenty of people would of died since the goddesses perished. Why isn't the planet overflowing with this stuff?" 

"Maybe because of reincarnation." Strago offered. "The realm of the dead used to house souls until they were ready to be reborn into the world as new people and animals. Maybe the whole world isn't flooded in green ooze because the ooze is only a temporary state. Things die, souls converge for a while, and then they're reborn...just like they always have. The flow of life continues no matter what." 

The other mage grumbled to himself, but didn't reply. 

Relm closed her sketchbook and drummed her fingers on the cover. "Then this stream of life idea might be the answer to some of our questions. If it has our magical energies when we die, just like magicite had the Espers' magical energy, isn't it possible for us to get magic from it?" 

"Forget it." Sabin said. "I'm not even going to get near that life stream stuff. And I don't want anybody else to....not after what it did to my brother." 

"Maybe it can be refined in some sort of way." the Elder said. "Your so-called "lifestream" may be damaging in its original form, but it can probably be made into something else. We do things to it, like water. Normal seawater is toxic for humans and animals to drink, but when treated and refined in a plant, it becomes drinkable and completely safe." He stood with the aid of a cane, and looked at his fellow mages. "I think this is definitely something to take into consideration. Of course the theory that this young woman had about lifestream will have to be tested, but so far there are many factors backing her idea up. Also, a way to refine the liquid into something similar to magicite might be beneficial to the entire world. Many things were destroyed because of the apocalypse, and many problems have arisen. I always have been one to follow the old ways, so I believe that even though the dark side of magic nearly destroyed the world, the light side of it can heal it. All right gentlemen, I suggest we get to work." He turned to Edgar. "King Edgar, I would like to talk to you about lending some of your engineers to us, so perhaps both our old ways and your new technology can refine this new raw energy provided to us." 

"No problem. I was going to suggest it, actually." 

"I think we're adjourned, ladies and gentlemen. I thank you for your time" The Elder crossed the room to Edgar, to immediately discuss matters. Terra watched the two talk. surprised that they had actually listened to her. Usually she was invisible to men when she spoke, but they had not only listened to her idea, they decided to follow it up with a plan. The only person who had objected was one of the ratty old mages, obviously somebody who was too self-important to listen to anyone else's thoughts. Terra smiled at the man across the room pleasantly and felt a small surge of triumph. The man looked at her coldly, muttered something to himself, and left. Oh well, you can't please everybody. 

"'Atta girl, Terra!" Locke said cheerfully, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "I don't even know where you got that theory, but man....it makes sense, and it explains a lot of things." 

"It doesn't exactly explain everything, does it? Like why Celes, Relm and myself became ill for a while." 

"Sure it does. The way I look at it, it was a reaction to the souls moving from one place to another. All that magical energy shifting around made you three uneasy, and effected your bodies." He looked out the window at the crotchety old mage that had objected. "Don't let busybodies like him put you down, Terra. Just because one guy says something contrary to what you think, doesn't mean you have to take it to heart." 

"Yeah, everybody's entitled to an opinion, I guess..." She watched as Sabin approached her, and gave him a small smile. "I think we're getting somewhere with this." 

"Maybe." the muscular man said. "How come you knew that Edgar heard voices when he touched it? He didn't say that to me." 

"He did mention that the, ahem, "lifestream" started to get inside his head and talked to him." Locke said. "We all heard him say it." 

"Yeah, but I came up to talk to him later, and he said that it was probably his imagination. He said the shock of it is what upset him, since it felt so odd." 

"I just talked to him about it." Terra said slowly. "I decided not to share our conversation, because he would probably do the same for me. It's nothing against you, Sabin. I just think Edgar didn't want to scare you, so he told you a little white lie about what happened. I think you really wouldn't want to know what he heard anyway." 

"Understood." The big man fixed his short ponytail. "You two hungry? Because I'm starving." 

* * * 

Dusk settled over the town of Thamasa, bathing everything in a gray light. Birds sleepily found roosts for the night, and people were spending the quiet ours after dinner peacefully within their homes. Occasionally, a person would walk down the limestone-paved streets, taking careful steps in the near-darkness, since the torches hadn't been lit yet. No one paid any mind to another figure walking down the street in a hurry, since the figure was just another familiar face in the small town. 

Caezin muttered to himself as he walked. He always muttered to himself, probably because he was much better of a conversationalist than others. He was going to present a very similar theory to the elder on the green liquid, the stuff now labeled "lifestream", but then that green-haired witch had come up with something more sound, and took all the credit. He knew that she used to be an Esper, oh how he knew. The Espers could play mind tricks, and that woman probably used one on the crowd a few hours ago. But not on him, oh no, such trickery didn't work on somebody with such an advanced mind as his. That's why he was chosen out of the thousand of candidates around the planet, that's why he held power. The master had been gone for a while, but he was now back in a new form, with new intents. With better intents. Caezin licked his lips, and thought of his rewards when he reported what he found to the master. He would gain more power, be permitted more magic. The very thought of using raw magic again made him dance a little jig with glee, right in the middle of the street in front of his house. Power! That was the only thing that mattered in this world, he had known that for years now. 

The mage shuffled into his house quickly, and shut the door behind him. That witch had many people on her side, but so did he. People with power, not the hodge podge of freaks from all over the world that SHE had. She even had a pet moogle, the bitch. Such animals were not to be tamed, and yet the Esper bitch had a moogle. And droves of men....who knows how many of them fawn at her feet, or visit her bed in the night? She had them in her grasp, and such a grasp was not good. That meant that the master had competition. He had to do something to warn him of it. No, to stop it. If he stopped that Esper and then went to the master with her broken body, the rewards for him would be spectacular. Perhaps more than just magic, perhaps the kind of power that went with money. Money is power, after all. Caezin hurried up his stairs, heart beating quickly. It would be risky, yes...but in the end it would be completely worth it. 

He rummaged through the chest at the end of his bed, looking for the sacred cloth, the clothing of the chosen. After a moment, he pulled it out triumphantly with trembling hands, eyes filling with tears as he looked at the green and white robes. "I will not fail you, master." he whispered. Glancing around furtively, he held the clothing to his chest. The witch could have spies anywhere...even in here. He'd best be quick. The mage donned the heavy white robes, and slipped on the green mantle over them, sighing with an almost perverse pleasure. They always felt so right on him, like he was born to serve the master. He placed the pointed cap on top of his head, and drew the green veil in front of his nose, making him blend with the robes themselves. 

Caezin smiled underneath his sacred robes. Tonight was the night, before the witch had any other plans set in motion, he would plan put an end to her and her influence. Then he would find the master. "You'll regret crossing me, bitch..." he muttered to himself as he began to deftly weave symbols in the air with his hands. Caezin uttered the key words to release the spell, and vanished in a flash of white light. 

* * *


	5. Chapter 4 -- The Magic Touch

"Rebirth" -- Chapter Four **CHAPTER FOUR  
The Magic Touch**

Setzer stared at the wood-paneled ceiling of his cabin in the Falcon, the cabin that used to belong to Daryl, with an annoyed expression. Morning. Morning was something the gambler would definitely abolish if at all possible, but apparently it was necessary to stop evening and afternoon from bumping in to each other. Mornings sucked, in Setzer's own words, especially when you couldn't remember where you were the night before. This morning, however, Setzer took only a minute to realize where he was, and what he was doing. The sound of surf pounding against craggy rocks on the beach that used to be the road to Thamasa indicated that the Falcon was still parked just on the cliff edge, right outside of town. Setzer continued to stare at the ceiling, and scratched at the silvery-white stubble that sprouted on his chin. This would make their third day at Thamasa since Terra's little "life stream" speech. The third long day. 

Setzer wondered if any of his companions were as bored as he was. Sabin probably was, but he did his best to politely help his brother with their little lifestream project. Mog had the attention span of a tree stump, so the moogle probably dancing his little white ass off someplace just to keep his sanity. Locke had Celes to keep him company, so he never seemed overly bored when she was nearby. Strago was just as deeply involved with this lifestream refining project as Edgar was, being the highest mage in Thamasa. Cyan just seemed to stand off to the side like Setzer did, obviously not the least bit interested in the whole process of experimenting with that damned green goop, although the warrior did seem to take an interest in the library here. Relm and Gau seemed to hang out with each other a bit often, now that the boy had finally started acting like a human being. The only person that didn't seem to be doing anything to entertain themselves, strangely enough, was Terra. The whole theory to the lifestream and the one person who probably would understand it more than anybody else distanced herself from what was going on, and many times couldn't even be found. Setzer knew where she went, though.....he had seen her once or twice at Leo's gave. She obviously missed the kind-hearted general, and very obviously had some feelings for him when he was alive, although she never came to grips with it until recently. Setzer could read faces, even Terra's enigmatic one, so he knew just by the look in her eyes, the shape of her mouth....even the way she stood. He had seen her face when he stumbled across her at the grave. She smiled at him and tried to cover her tracks, but he knew. He didn't have the heart to tell Terra that she had fallen in love with not only a dead man, but a dead man that even if he was alive wouldn't have time for a love life. Not yet, anyway. 

The gambler rolled out of bed, and shuffled off to get dressed and shave. Damned mornings....he would of just stayed in bed, but sooner or later somebody would come up to the Falcon to disturb him. He knew his companions too well....damn morning people. Except Locke, but that poor bastard was always dragged out of bed as well by the others, usually Celes. Oh well, at least Setzer wasn't alone. 

When he had dressed and cleaned up, he walked down the hall to the main hatch in the side of the ship, and pressed the button to open it. He absently noted that the door mechanism would need some tinkering with as the door lowered down shakily, making a steep staircase that descended to the ground. Setzer stepped out into the morning light, and blinked frantically, squinting in the sun. His eyes were sensitive enough to the light as it was, and here he was walking directly into it, the sun directly in front of him. Maybe he should of parked the Falcon facing south, so the door would face west, where there was no goddamn sun in the morning. 

He walked into town, his long gold-trimmed black trenchcoat trailing behind him, slightly ruffled by a breeze off the ocean. Standing in the middle of the road was Mog, and as Setzer had guessed, the little beast was dancing, while a crowd of youngsters clapped and laughed. Little shit, he'd to anything for attention. 

Mog stopped dancing as the gambler approached, and gave an annoying little wave. Critters always annoyed Setzer, but he never let on. "Kupo....mornin', Setzer." 

"Morning. Dancing this early?" 

"....po, there's nothing else to do after breakfast here, except wait for lunch. So I dance between meals. At least I don't get fat that way." He patted his round little tummy. _What the hell DID a fat moogle look like anyway,_ Setzer thought. "But anyway, if you're looking for the others, they're all over the place." 

"Thanks. Have fun dancing." 

The moogle made a squeaky little sound and did a handspring, breaking into a few more dance moves as Setzer walked away while averting his eyes. Mog could get adoration from the group of 10-year-olds clustering around him, but it would take more than some relative cuteness to snag Setzer's attention. The gambler walked on. 

He passed the library without stopping. As interesting as Cyan could be at times, generally conversation with him was boring and dry. He didn't persue the finer things in life: alcohol, women, games. It was sad, really. Cyan probably would of made a fine companion of he learned to live a little bit. Still, the fact that he lost his family two years ago affected his overall lifestyle, and Setzer figured that the tall warrior was doing his best to set a good example for Gau. 

The gambler stopped and looked around. The cemetery stood to his left, and the grove of poplars that housed the lonely resting place of Leo was on his right. It didn't take a genius to figure out who was standing among the trees to his right. Terra stood with her back to him, the morning sun filtering through the trees, bathing her in a dappled light. Her hair, which wasn't exactly green, but more like green-tinted blond, waved slowly in the morning breeze. She looked pretty good standing there. Terra always had been pretty hot, although Setzer didn't exactly think so the first time he saw her. The first time he saw her she was in her Esper form, a beautiful white-furred thing with lavender eyes and streaks of magenta running through her unruly hair. Beautiful in a certain extent, but not attractive in any physical way. She was also fairly stupid for the first few months she traveled with the gambler, but as time went on she regained her memories and her intelligence. After a while, he had developed respect for her. By the end of their mission, he could almost claim to love her. Almost. He still had a place in his heart for Daryl, nobody could replace that. Terra was completely different than Daryl, but she fascinated Setzer none the less. 

He wouldn't tell her, though. It was something he'd keep to himself, for the time being anyway. Maybe when they left Thamasa, he'd offer her an invitation to travel with him and see the sights of the world. Maybe then, he'd let her know. 

"Why are you standing behind me?" She said quietly, obviously aware of his presence. 

"Because if I stand in front of you, I'd be obscuring your view." The pale-faced gambler took a few steps forward to stand at her side. She held a few small blue wildflowers in her hand, idly stroking the tiny petals with a fingertip. Terra's eyes were distant as she gazed at the gold-hilted sword embedded in the cairn before them. "Do you really miss him that much?" 

"I think the world misses him that much, Setzer. He did so much for the people." 

"And I think you nicely evaded that question." 

She looked up at him with her grass-green eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?" 

"C'mon Terra, I can read you like a book. I know how you feel about Leo." 

She lowered her face into the handful of flowers, closing her eyes. Even her eyelashes had that odd green tint, making the flowers seem more blue. "...am I really that obvious?" 

He plucked a flower from under her nose, and twirled it between his thumb and index finger. "To me, yeah. To everybody else, probably not." 

She sighed. "It's not what it was...now it's more like.....regret. But he told me things that helped me find who I was, he helped me feel. How could you not feel something for the person who taught you how to feel?" 

"I don't know if this is the answer you want Terra, I can only say that you feel the way you do, because you are who you are. Nobody can teach you to feel, that's something you do yourself. The potential is inside you, always." 

She plucked the head off of one of the flowers, and flicked it away. "I see. I thought you would understand where I'm coming from..." She paused. "Don't you miss Daryl at all?" 

His voice was quiet. "Of course I miss her. I miss her every day, but she's not the one who opened up my heart to the world. I'm the one who did that, it's part of growing up." 

Terra dropped the wildflowers and watched as they flitted down to the grass. "I guess I'm still not fully human." Her voice was steady, but Setzer could tell from the way that her mouth formed the words that she was upset. 

He lifted up her chin and forced her to look into his steel-gray eyes. "Don't say that. Don't even think it. You're more human than many people I've met....you've shown so many times that you care for others and that you care for the world, that you shouldn't even consider doubting yourself." His eyes held her there for a second, and then she finally nodded. "Sometimes, I feel a little lost, like you. But I don't cave in on myself. Life is full of its ups and downs, that's why we go through with it, for the thrill....even when we do have our low moments. Low moments like these are why we have friends." 

"Friends..." she said. 

"Yeah. We're here for you, just as I am right now. If you ever feel lost, regretful, or even just....down, talk to me. Talk to Celes. Talk to any of us, just don't gnaw on your problems in your own little corner." 

She looked at him, trying to find any traces of mockery in him, but found nothing but sincerity. Apparently this gambler was more than he seemed, and did more than live life for its roguish qualities. "I....understand now." She gave Leo's grave a glance through her blond-green eyelashes, and sighed. "Then maybe....I should let go." 

"Letting go is one thing. Moving on is another. You don't have to discard what you feel entirely." 

Finally, she smiled. "Thank you, Setzer." 

He tucked the blue wildflower behind her ear, and gave her a dazzling smile that looked like it belonged on a wolf somewhere. "No charge. It's what friends do." He brushed past her, heading back in to town. 

"Setzer," she called after him. 

He stopped. "Yeah?" 

"Wait up, I'll walk with you." She jogged up to him, her boots somewhat loud on the white cobblestones. 

He turned and gave her a slight bow, not mocking in the least. "Hey, a lady is always welcome to walk with me." 

She laughed. "You've been around Edgar too much." 

"Not at all, I'm always this way." He said as they headed to the inn. 

* * * 

"I don't get it....why isn't it reacting to my touch?" 

"Maybe it doesn't like you anymore." 

"Shut up, Locke; if this stuff isn't going to behave like it did before, then there's no point in tinkering with it." Edgar prodded the lifestream with his bare finger, trying to get it to speak to him like it did in the cave. "Damn. Maybe it wears out or something over time. It has been here three days after all." 

Strago peered at the beaker of lifestream. "It's possible that it's run out of energy....although it hasn't exactly lost its glow yet." 

"Lemme see," Relm said, trying to push her way through the group of people clustered around the table. 

"Hasn't it? It seems less glowey than it did in the cave when I scooped it up." Locke commented. "Maybe it ran out of gas, like Edgar said." 

"Lemme see," Relm demanded. 

"Although, it doesn't seem to be any cooler. Look at the thermometer." Said one of Edgar's chemists, a man by the name of Rickard. 

"C'mon, lemme see!" 

Locke poked at the fluid. "So it's still warm. Maybe because Edgar keeps poking at it. He has huge hands, they probably give off a lot of heat." 

"If that was a jab directed at me, you're losing your touch, Cole." 

"MOVE ASIDE AND LET ME SEE!!!" 

The group parted so the girl could get to the edge of the table, and examine the lifestream. She touched it briefly, closing her eyes. 

"What's she doing?" Locke whispered to Strago. 

"Something that actually makes a lot of sense." the old man muttered back. "I should of asked her to try this before." 

Relm opened her eyes, and turned to her grandfather. "It's dormant. Apparently if you take it away from the rest of the lifestream, it'll stop giving off direct energy. It's starting to harden too....see? It's a bit more....um..." 

"Viscous." Edgar offered. 

"Yeah. Viscous. It's getting like Jello not too long after you put it in the fridge." She touched it again. "Hm, now the energy isn't sent out as psy waves anymore, it's only sent out as light and heat." 

Locke looked puzzled. "Psy waves?" 

"The type of brain waves telepaths use. That's how it communicated with Edgar in the first place, by transmitting psy waves to him. Like the radio on Setzer's ship can transmit messages from his ship to another." 

"Do telepaths actually exist?" Rickard asked with mild curiosity. 

"I guess anything's possible...." Edgar said. 

"Yes." Relm replied. "They do." 

"Well then," Rickard said, rubbing his hands together. "Since this thing is dormant, and it communicates through these psy waves, why don't we find a telepath and ask them to talk to the lifestream? Maybe they can figure out how to harness its energy." 

"This'll be fun." Relm grinned. 

"Oh no you don't, young lady." Strago interjected. "What if it gets into your mind and you can't remove it?" 

"Oh, don't spoil my fun Grandpa. The techno people and even the magic people tried their best, so now it's my turn. Let me try." 

"Excuse me," Locke murmured mildly. "but is Relm a telepath?" 

_Yes,_ a voice said inside of his head. The thief jumped back with a startled yelp. 

_Knock it off Locke,_ Relm's voice echoed inside his head. _I won't hurt you._

"Arg. Cut it out, kid.....get out of my head." 

"Sorry." Relm said with a dimpled smile. "I just had to.....it's so rare when somebody catches Mr. Treasure Hunter off guard." She looked at Edgar and his technician. "Yes, I'm a telepath. No, I can't read your thoughts....that requires too much effort, and yes, I can sort of communicate with the lifestream, but only to an extent. I can only tell you that it's dormant, and it won't give off any energy unless you draw it out." 

Edgar looked at the apparently dormant lifestream, and then looked at Relm again. "Draw it out? This isn't coal or oil, Relm." 

"I didn't mean burn it, silly. Here, let me show you." She adjusted her kerchief in a businesslike manner, and extended a hand to Locke. "May I please use one of your daggers for a moment?" 

The thief looked puzzled, but plunked a short-hilted dirk in her outstretched hand anyway. Relm tested the edge of it with her thumb, and nodded in satisfaction. She then laid the blade against the back of her left hand and neatly drew it across, wincing in pain as she slit her own flesh open. 

Strago made a strangled sound. "Goddess....Relm, what are you doing??" 

She wiped the dirk clean on the hem of her skirt. "Don't worry, grandpa. I know what I'm doing." Relm bit her lip as she handed the dirk back to Locke. "That hurt more than I thought it would. Oh well." The girl reached out to touch the green liquid with her right hand, and closed her eyes. At first nothing happened, and the four of them stood there somewhat doubtfully, watching her. Then the flask of lifestream began to give off that pale green glow, and there was a small movement near the floor. At Relm's feet waves of pale green energy, the same color as the lifestream, undulated in a myriad of color and light. A faint hissing sound was heard as the waves of light ruffled her clothing and hair. Relm opened her eyes and focused on her wounded left hand with an intent expression. 

"Cure," she whispered. 

Slowly at first but then with increasing speed, blood stopped oozing from the wound, absorbed back into the gash like a sponge. The skin pressed together, forming a white line that disappeared within seconds. Relm relaxed, exhaling slowly, and held up her now-healed hand for them to examine. 

"And that," she said. "is what I meant by extraction." 

"Crimeny..." Rickard muttered. Nobody said anything else, they just stood and gaped at her, dumbfounded. 

"Oh, please don't let your mouths hang open like that, it's rude." She rubbed at her hand and sighed. "It's still not perfect....it itches a bit, and the feeling I got when casting it was different. But anyway gentlemen, I think we once again have access to magic." She gave them a dimpled smile. "We probably should go tell the others, don't you agree?" 

* * * 

"Fire," Terra muttered, trying to focus both on the small bottle of lifestream she held and the bush she was aiming at. The shrub made a snapping sound, and began to seethe smoke. Then it burst into flames, giving off the irritating smell of green wood burning. 

"Ice." Celes said, also holding a small vial of lifestream, which at this point was barely liquid, more like small balls of semi-liquid floating in waterlike fluid. There was a hissing sound from the burning plant, and steam rose up in tendrils from the withered branches, the flames dying. Ice formed in clumps on the leaves and branches, making them sag under the weight. The two women looked at each other. 

"It works..." Celes said with a grin that was like the sun coming up. 

"It does, doesn't it?" Terra's smile was just as big as Celes'. 

"Nice job, ladies." Locke commented, examining the sorry-looking bush. "I don't know about you, but this makes me feel like breaking out into a few dance moves." He wiggled his hips, making the two women laugh. 

"Don't get too excited, Cole." Edgar crossed his arms and looked down at the thief. "The three people that fell ill after Kefka are the only three that can use it so far. Maybe there's a connection.....maybe they're the only ones that can use this new magic." 

Locke's face contorted into what could almost be considered a pout. "Oh sure, rain on my parade..." 

"Don't be such a pessimist, brother. How do we know unless we try?" Sabin took the small flask of lifestream from Terra, and held it in one of his large hands. "Okay....lemme see if I can remember...." He closed his eyes, concentrating. "Bolt." he said after a moment, focusing on the tree. 

Nothing happened. 

The big man frowned. "That's not right....I thought that was the way you cast magic." 

"Maybe your brother's right." the thief said gloomily. "Maybe only the ladies can cast magic." 

Celes looked at Sabin critically. "I dunno...I did as Relm said, and it worked for me." She tapped a finger on his broad chest. "You have to feel it in here, sort of. You have to draw the magic out first, then send it through your body, and then direct it at your target." 

He sighed, closed his eyes, and concentrated again. This time a faint green glow was seen around his feet. "Bolt...?" 

"It's not a question, Sabin." Terra sighed. "You're not asking a favor, you're giving an order." 

He grumbled under his breath and pointed at the bush angrily, his blue eyes ablaze. "Bolt, goddammit!" Green waves of energy surged away from his feet, whipping the grass, and a thin white line of electricity jolted down from the clear sky out of nowhere, hitting the frail bush head on, sending chunks of frozen wood everywhere. The group of them stood there, stunned. Sabin just grinned. 

"Told you so." he said. 

Edgar frowned at his brother, and then ogled at the vial of lifestream in his hand. "Sabin, look at your bottle!" 

"What?" He held up the small glass bottle to examine it, his mouth falling open when he saw the contents. "Ohh great.....what'd I do?" Instead of the thick green fluid, a small orb the size of a walnut sat in the bottle, giving off the now-familiar green glow. Sabin shook the bottle, and the round object bounced around with a clinking sound. "Uh....is this a good thing?" 

His brother took the bottle and looked at the glowing orb inside. "I don't know, but getting it out of there'll be a pain." 

Celes held up her bottle, frowning. "Mine did it too...it's a little glowing ball thingy now." She held it up so Locke could see. 

"Hmm.....let me see that." He took the vial from her, shook it for a minute, and then smacked the neck of it down on a rock. Half of the bottle broke away, and the green sphere fell out, making a strange cystallike sound as it hit the white cobblestones. The thief picked it up. "Strange....it feels....cool. Not warm like it used to." 

"Is it....dead?" Edgar asked, watching as his brother removed his orb in a similar fashion. 

"I don't think so....it still feels tingly, but not the same way. It feels...huh...well...sort of how your mouth feels when you eat a mint." 

"What a wonderful way to put it." Setzer murmured. 

"Just for that, you don't get a little orb thingy." The thief rolled the orb in his hand. "Maybe..." he looked at the bush, and decided that a new target was needed. He found a rock conveniently placed on the edge of the road, and smirked. Narrowing his eyes, he concentrated. "Fire..." 

Once again, nothing happened. Setzer laughed. "Apparently you're not special like the others, Locke." 

Locke turned around to face Setzer, annoyed. He pointed at the gambler. "Yeah, well....ICE!!" 

Setzer's face contorted into shock as his skin turned blue from cold, and his long silver hair froze solid. He stood there, teeth chattering. "Y-you b-bastard!" 

The Treasure Hunter blinked in surprise at the frozen gambler. Then he doubled over in laughter. 

Celes took the orb from him. "Locke, that wasn't very nice." 

He didn't respond, just continued to laugh. 

Celes sighed. "Sorry, Setzer. If I knew he was going to do that, I wouldn't of let him take the orb from me." 

The gambler shook the ice crystals out of his hair, still shivering a bit. "It's okay, I guess. I deserved it, sort of. Anyway, if Locke and Sabin can use the lifestream to cast magic, that means that anybody can do it." 

"Don't forget, it's not lifestream anymore." Mog said from the tree he was sitting in. "It turned into little round crystals. Something that feels minty." He smirked at Locke. 

"Watch it moogle, lest I cast Ice upon thee." He held up the orb. 

Mog squeaked and hid in the sanctuary of the tree's branches, with Locke's laugher chasing after him. Celes sighed. "You're not behaving yourself very well today. Behave, or I'll take your new magic toy away." 

"Yes Ma'am." 

"Anyway, I think I've figured something out." she said, taking the orb from him anyway. "The magic we used on this material was infused into it, and it made these little orb things that spell...well, kind of. I mean, the spell Ice was put into this little orb thingy, so now the only thing it can be used for is casting Ice, since both Locke and I used it to cast that spell. It didn't work when he tried to use it for Fire." 

"What about mine?" Sabin asked. "Terra used it to cast Fire, and then I used it to cast Bolt. Why did it work for both?" 

"Because you are human, and she's an Esper witch." a voice said from the edge of the trees. They turned to the speaker, who turned out to be the old mage that tried to put Terra's theory down the day before. He stood with his back against a tree, arms crossed. 

"Caezin." Strago growled. "Don't you dare insult my friends." 

"Oh, sorry, would you prefer I insulted you instead?" He grinned, showing yellowed teeth and gaps where some were missing. "Words are fun, but I have a more entertaining method." He leered at the other mage, green energy surging around him. "Bio!" 

Strago gasped, and clutched at his chest as poison raged through his veins. Relm yelped and ran to his side, supporting him as he withered to the ground. Without thinking, Terra took a few steps forward, and pointed at her ill companion. "Remedy!" Green and yellow waves shot out from around her feet, whipping the grass growing in between the stones of the road. Strago was surrounded by a blue aura for a moment, and then it dissipated with a faint hissing sound. The now-healed mage stood up to face Caezin. "You go too far..." 

"Do I? You're the one cavorting with this Esper witch. You just saw her use magic without the use of Material, did you not?" 

Terra shook her head. "I..." 

"Material?" Strago snorted, changing the subject. "What on earth are you talking about?" 

"What your precious lifestream turns into, the source of all magic. What an idiot you are, Strago....you don't even know that. Obviously, the Esper witch has duped you, just like she's duped the others." 

Edgar strode towards Caezin angrily. "Stop calling her a "witch", you--" He was cut off by a Bolt spell from the mage, and sent flying back. 

"Watch it, you don't know who you're dealing with boy." Caezin said. "You're gone even worse than the others. Does she repay you for your service? Perhaps with sexual favors...?" 

Edgar sat on the ground angrily, still stunned from the Bolt attack. His brother ran up to Caezin before the mage could react, anger flaring in his blue eyes. With a yell, he picked up the old mage, jumped into the air, and slammed him down on the ground. "Get up, old fart! If you're so goddamn tough, then get up!" Sabin flexed his muscles threateningly. 

Caezin scrabbled backwards, his eyes wary. "Master, help me! They're stronger than I thought!" 

Strago looked at the blubbering old mage. "Master? Oh no..." 

Caezin grinned and looked skyward. "Yes....and He has answered....I leave with a gift from the Master for you..." He sketched a sigil in the air in front of him, then vanished, his eyes on Terra as he left. The group looked at each other, awestruck. 

"Master?" Mog said, getting down from in his tree. 

"INCOMING!" Locke yelped, pointing at the sky. The others looked up just in time to get hit full force by the Meteor spell, most of them driven to the ground by the rain of flaming fist-sized rocks. The only one that remained standing was Terra, who stood making no attempt to evade the falling fire. She clutched at her shoulders, hugging at herself and producing a snarl in the back of her throat. Then she looked up at the continuing Meteor spell. "NO!!" she shrieked, shooting off the orange-red aura that once indicated the use of magic while raising her arms. The terrible rain slowed, and then stopped. She stood there, breathing heavily, still staring at the sky with arms held high. 

Edgar groaned and sat up to look at her. "...Terra?" 

She lowered her arms slowly, falling to her knees. Her green eyes looked at him. "I'm sorry....I couldn't let them hurt us....I didn't mean..." she made a choking sound and rested her face in her hands, hiding her face. 

Edgar limped to her, ignoring his own pain, and put his arms around her. "It's all right...you saved us." Terra moaned and rested her face against his chest. 

Celes wiped blood from a gash on her cheek and crouched down next to the two to look at Terra. "That's right...who knows how long that spell would of gone on?" 

The former Esper looked at her, tears in her eyes. "But...he did it because of me. I should of never come here. I should of stayed in Mobliz." 

"Not because of you, Terra, because he's insane." Strago said from where he fell on the ground, leaning on one elbow. "He's been insane for years. I always thought he was harmless, but now..." He shook his head. 

Locke rubbed at an ugly purple bruise on his lower arm. "I think you saved our butts, Terra. Just take the thanks, not the blame." 

"No!" She pushed Edgar away from her, standing up. "You don't get it! It's because of me! He hurt you all because..." She bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes, and then turned and fled, her boots seeming overly loud on the white cobblestone road. 

* * *


	6. Chapter 5 -- Material Girl

"Rebirth" -- Chapter Five **CHAPTER FIVE  
Material Girl**

"They're so shiny..." 

"Don't stare at them too long, Celes. You won't be able to look away." 

She pouted. "But....shiny...! C'mon, they glow in the dark!" 

Locke ignored her overly cute pout, and crossed his arms. "There was a legend once, of a gem that had a dark soul. It drew people to it, and when they became absorbed in its glow, the jewel would capture their souls, and their wills." 

"That's just a legend." 

"I don't care....I see you ogling at the Material, and I'm reminded of a kid eyeing up a dish of candy before dinner, or a Zozo whore that finds a horny well-to-do looking for a fun night." 

She whacked him upside the head. "Don't you even compare me to a whore!" 

"Ow." He rubbed at his head. "My point is you don't need to sit here and stare at it all day like you've been doing." Locke crossed his arms. "I mean, what happened to my damn girlfriend? I thought that she had a thing for me but ooo.....some shiny rocks came along and suddenly Mr. Cole's history." 

She looked at the glowing green Material orbs in her hand, and then at him. "You're jealous of some magical rocks?" 

"Hell, yeah." 

Celes set the rocks back into the pile that they had made in the past few hours. So far the group had made "Fire", "Ice", "Bolt" and "Cure". Nobody tried any of the more complicated spells, since they only had so much lifestream to work with, although Rickart had dubbed the thicker version of the lifestream "Makoro", which meant "magic energy" in some obscure language that was nearly forgotten. They were now out of lifestream and Makoro, and only had a pile of Material orbs instead, which still gave off a cold green glow. She sighed. "I'm sorry, it's just that this fascinates me. I thought you'd be into it as much as I am, since it seems to be worth something..." 

"Don't forget that I wasn't raised with magic powers. I'm not into the magical stuff as much as you are. Sure, I think this stuff is great, but I want to do other things, like talk to my friends." 

"Speaking of, did you try to talk to Terra?" 

"I would if I could find her, but she's made herself scarce ever since that incident this morning. I think she's embarrassed about it." 

Celes rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes contentedly. "Tell me, have you ever seen her cry before?" 

"No. That's why I think she's embarrassed, because she let a side of her show that she doesn't want us to see." 

"What side would that be?" 

Locke looked at the dish of Material on the table in front of them, and pushed it away with an index finger. "Her human side." 

* * * 

"How are you feeling?" Gau examined a bump on Mog's furry little head. 

"Kupo.....it hurts a bit, but the Cure Material Relm used on us all seemed to help some. You were lucky you weren't there, the guy that showed up was real creepy." 

Cyan stroked at his mustache thoughtfully. "'Twould seem that we missed the fun." 

"Fun? Po.....yeah right." The cat-like creature snorted. "If you call being hit with flaming rocks fun." 

"No, what I meant is that apparently we haven't disposed of all our enemies. I discussed the matter with Strago, and he told me that your friend is in some sort of organization." 

"Organization? What kind or organization would hit them with meteor spells?" 

"One that has a reason to hate us, Gau. One that hates Terra specifically....perhaps a cult of some kind, or perhaps a new brand of religion." 

Mog covered his pointed ears. "Ugh, I hate theology...." 

"I'd like to hear something about it, if you don't mind." A voice said from the doorway. Sabin walked in, a few bumps and bruises apparent on his bare arms and upper torso, evidence that even he was hit by "The Master's" meteor attack. The large man leaned against the wall near Gau, a look of interest on his face. "So, you think this was driven by some sort of religious leader?" 

Cyan shrugged. "It is a logical assumption, my friend. The fact that Terra was once half-Esper is a somewhat well-known fact by anyone who reads the newspaper, seeing that our exploits were published world-wide. In any case, there were many that feared the Espers after their accidental attacks on towns, resulting in something of a prejudice against them....including Terra. It's no wonder she wished to remain in Mobliz with merely those children for company; at least they would give her the due respect she deserves. Anywhere else, she would be shunned." 

Sabin frowned. "Bigotry against Terra? I don't want to believe it. Terra's such a sweet person." 

"Prejudice and hatred know no good in people. What of Sir Leo? Many were opposed to him at first, simply because of his race. It took some time for people to realize that he was a model human being and a kind gentleman. They finally accepted him as a true hero, once they got past the color of his skin." 

"So why not just stamp out the opposition against Terra, and get the world to like her?" Mog piped up. 

"'Tis not that easy, moogle. It would take months, nay....years to put her in the good of the public's eye." 

Mog smiled. "I got nuthin' to do for the next few years. Terra's my friend, and I'd like to help her." 

"Thy heart is noble, as are thy intentions, Sir Mog, but would thou be one to commit himself to such an arduous task?" 

"I sure would." Sabin said. "I think the little guy's got a point here. If some group is out to get Terra, we should try to find that group and eradicate it. I'm not gonna let something like this go on without notice, and I doubt that my brother or any of the rest of us would either." He looked down at the moogle. "So, you wanna bring your idea to the others?" 

The white-furred creature jumped up with an overly-adorable squeaky sound. "Would I ever! Let's get moving!" He then winced and rubbed at the bump on his head. "Owww......kupo..." 

* * * 

"Trust me, brother....this is a good idea." 

"Oh, I believe you Sabin.....it's just that I don't know if Terra wants help." The two of them were walking down the white cobblestone main street of Thamasa, which reflected back the pink color of the pre-dusk sky. Sabin, Mog, Gau and Cyan had gone about the town to find the rest of the group, and naturally Sabin went to find his brother first. Edgar had been standing in a spot where Terra could customarily be found: General Leo's grave. It was obvious that the blond king was looking for her, figuring that she would head there after her outburst. He hadn't found her there, but instead waited in hopes of bumping into her. After two hours or so, Sabin came to talk to him about stamping out this new faction against Terra. 

"Don't get me wrong....I want to help Terra as much as anybody else; but I know her, Sabin. I know that she wants to be left alone. The only reason she's here is because something affected her so directly she couldn't even carry on with her life, the same reason why Celes came here to talk to Strago. She doesn't get involved anymore." 

The larger brother sighed. "You might be right. Terra's not one to want help. But....that doesn't mean that we can't try, right?" 

Edgar shook his head and grumbled something. 

"Think, Edgar! What if this isn't something against Terra specifically? What if....well, what if this is another Kefka deal? That Caezin guy had a Master, we all heard him talk to him right before that meteor shower hit us. Don't you think this is a threat? C'mon, you're not one to stand nearby and do nothing." 

"No, I'm not one to do nothing, but when it comes to...." Edgar stopped in mid-sentence and sighed. "Forget it, you're right. Terra won't like it, but we can always say that we're doing it for the good of everybody. We get to play superheros again." They stopped walking when they reached the massive spruce tree planted in the town square. "All right, go for it. I'm in to the end, as always. See if you can find Rickart, and tell him that he has orders to return to Figaro, and he should gather his men working on the Lifestream project, and get packing." Edgar turned on his heel, and started to walk west, towards the setting sun. 

"And where are you going now? We have planning to do!" 

Edgar didn't even slow, but answered over his shoulder as he walked swiftly away. "To find Terra." 

* * * 

The sun was just touching the dark waters of the South Ocean when he found her. She was at the last place he had expected to find her: on the beach of the western side of the island, right next to the area the Falcon was parked in. In the strange orangy-pink light of the sunset, her hair almost looked like it was the color of honey, not the customary green-tinted mass everybody was used to. Edgar silently wondered what she would look like if Maduin wasn't her father....would she be blond-haired? Or would she have the same gravity that drew people to her....the pull she had that made people want to listen, to understand her? He sighed and shook his head. Thoughts aside, he was here to talk to her, not to evaluate her. He took a step towards her, but stopped short when she spoke. 

"I know you're there, Edgar." she said quietly, her knees drawn to her chest, arms resting upon them. Her chin sat lightly on her slender arms. "I thought I made it clear that I didn't want to be bothered." 

The king sat next to her in the sand, and shrugged. "You did, but then again, I didn't want to be bothered on the deck of the Falcon that other night. You came to me anyway. I thought I should do the same." 

She looked at him coldly, her eyes as green and stony as emeralds. "So I lick your wounds, you lick mine? Is that what you're saying?" 

"No no no....please don't misunderstand, Terra. I'm here out of concern, not out of a 'payback' for a favor." 

Terra lowered her eyes and focused them on the white lime sand. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't of snapped at you like that." 

"No apology needed, my lady." He looked at the sunset, the sun half-gone now. "Of all places, why did you hide here?" 

"I wanted to just once watch a sun set on the sea. I've never seen it, as strange as that sounds." She traced patterns in the sand with an index finger. "Um, I suppose you want me to explain a bit more. I think your question was supposed to be phrased as 'Why did you hide, Terra?'." 

Edgar said nothing, but watched the sun as it continued its slow decent, the orb looking like a poached egg on the horizon. Terra sighed, and he turned to look at her when she spoke again. "I came here because I'm afraid for my friends. I know somebody's after me, Edgar....and I don't want others to get hurt because of that. And....and also because I'm afraid I'll lose control of myself again." 

"Terra, please don't be afraid of such things. We are your friends, and we'll stand beside you through it all." 

"That's what Setzer said." she said morosely. "It doesn't help me much. I think I just need time. I need to..." She looked up at the sun again, her eyes glistening slightly. "I just need peace." 

He put his arm around her shoulders. "You'll get it, Terra. I promise. Right now, Sabin and the others are planning to overthrow this plot against you. I know that's not what you wanted, but it's what your getting. Setzer was right, and I know I'm right here too....your friends will watch out for you, no matter what." 

She stared at the sun, just over a sliver of it left, the small fraction of it seeming to hover waveringly over the ocean. "All right. But I don't want this....I don't want this magic anymore." 

"What do you mean?" 

She shivered, whether from fright or merely a chill Edgar didn't know. "Edgar....I just want to watch the sunset." she whispered. "Just once." 

He nodded, and they watched it silently, even long after it had gone. 

* * * 

He stood upon the roof of the tower, staring at the setting sun on the mountains. This was moving too fast, they had already discovered Material....and were making it by the bucket as well. In no time they would realize what was truly going on, and that simply would not be acceptable. He needed that girl separated from the group; he needed that damn king and his friends to leave her the hell alone. So far, things weren't going with what he needed, let alone what he wanted. He sighed and pulled the dark-colored wrappings off his head and neck, baring his short unruly brown hair to the wind that whistled past the immense tower. This body suited him much better, it was more lithe and athletic than his previous one. Silently he thanked the three Goddesses for saving his ass at the last minute, and transferring him to another. He always knew that his prayers would be answered. 

A soft shuffling noise was heard behind him, and the man turned his head, fixing his pale blue eyes on the green- and white-robed man genuflecting on the gravel of the rooftop. "Master....you wished to see me?" 

The man frowned. "Fool....you would dare look upon my face uninvited?" 

The man in the robe prostrated deeper, touching his head to the cold black gravel. "Forgive me, Master. It was an accident. I will bind my eyes in your presence from now on. No other shall know--" 

"Shut up, Caezin." the dark man muttered irritably. "I'll get right to the point. You've failed me in one sense, yet accomplished something in another sense. I believe because of that, your mistake does not need reprimanding." 

Caezin raised his face from the roof slightly, pieces of gravel stuck to his clammy forehead. "...Master?" 

The Master crossed his arms, and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Even though you didn't manage to obtain the Esper girl for me, you've opened up a doorway to her powers. I've seen them.....I saw them in my previous body, but since magic has been twisting beneath the world, her power has increased nearly tenfold. It is as if the new world that is forming from this "lifestream" has bonded itself with her, giving her strength." He smiled a malicious grin, one that didn't seem to fit the face of it's owner. "All Espers answer to the Goddesses." The Master looked down at his main disciple. "Do you follow me?" 

"I understand that fact, master....but the three Goddesses are dead....remember?" 

It came without warning. The brown-haired man's well-muscled arm shot out, a black blur as his silk-gloved fingers closed around Caezin's throat. Caezin quickly found himself dangling from his Master's grip around his neck, barely able to choke let alone breathe. The disciple clutched at the Master's wrist, but the viselike grip didn't yield. 

"Imbecile..." The Master hissed through teeth gritted in fury. "Don't you own a brain? The Goddesses are within ME, not dead and gone. That is why I am here....or perhaps you have forgotten what all of the cult must know?" 

All Caezin could manage were some wheezing sounds, his face turning purple. He struggled feebly for a moment, and then was flung onto the harsh gravel of the roof by a swift backhand toss by the black-clad man. He lay on the black gravel in a fetal position, clutching at his neck as he gasped for air like a fish. The Master looked down at him with disgust. 

"And to think, I was going to give you a gift for your efforts." He pulled his black silk hood over his face again, making his features a mystery once more. "You have new orders. Take a group of men and surround the island of Thamasa, and flush out the Esper girl. You can dispose of her friends if you can manage it....or even burn the town to the ground if you have to. I want her out, and alive. When she's out, capture her as best as you can. Order the others to do it....do not interfere yourself, other to convey my orders." 

"Master," Caezin's voice was hoarse. "How can we capture and Esper?" 

For a few minutes, The Master was silent as he stared at the mountains surrounding the immensely tall tower. The only sound was the chill wind whistling past. Finally, he spoke. "When the time comes, I'll take care of it. Leave me now, and do not fail again, Caezin. You may not live through it." 

The Master heard some scrabbling sounds behind him as Caezin hurried to his feet and rushed down the stairs. Then there was only the sound of the wind. 

* * * 

Mog twirled on his toes in delight. They had thought it was a good idea! Relm almost always thought things were a good idea, though. Ice cream for dinner? Good idea. A day at the beach? Another good idea. And of course, the whole "Mission: Terra" has he had labeled it was definitely a good idea in Relm's eyes. He continued to dance as the blonde-haired girl watched him, giggling. 

Gau rolled his eyes. "Great, now he'll never stop." 

"Oh, leave him alone....let him dance if he wants to." Relm giggled again. "Besides, he's so cute." 

Gau smoothed back his hair, an action that he picked up from Cyan. "I think we should find my father and the others. He probably has them all together at the Elder's House at this point." 

Mog stopped spinning, slightly dizzy. "Po...good idea. I bet that everybody's there, 'cept for Terra herself." 

Relm looked at the stars, which had just begun to come out in the post-sunset sky. "I hope she gets there soon, it's getting late, and we have planning to do." She looked at her companions. "Why don't we get going?" 

The moogle nodded with a squeak. "Good idea....maybe we can get some ideas cooked up before Terra even shows up." 

Gau showed his agreement by starting to walk in the direction of the Elder's house. Interceptor trotted after him, claws clicking on the white cobblestones. The dog didn't usually like men or boys, save his old owner....but for some reason he and Gau got along fairly well. Relm suspected it had something to do with Gau's ability to communicate with the animal. Maybe someday she could ask Gau how to talk to Interceptor. Having a conversation with an animal might be interesting. 

Locke was leaning against the doorway to the Elder's home, idly peeling an unfortunate blade of grass to ribbons. "Hey, there you are. Everybody else is inside, except for Terra and Edgar." 

"Do you think he found her?" Relm asked. 

The thief shrugged. "With Edgar...who knows? Maybe he did, maybe he's just watching her from a distance. Everybody knows how Terra affects him." 

The young artist put her hands on her hips. "Then again, didn't Terra used to affect you, Mr. Treasure Hunter?" 

He flashed a brilliant smile. "Nope. Always plutonic. Are you kids gonna go inside or do you plan on chitchatting all night?" 

Inside, the others were seated around the large oak table that was generally used for town meetings. Sabin and Cyan were discussing something quietly, and Celes gazed at a Material orb that she held lightly in her hand. All other eyes looked up as the three "children" and Locke entered. 

"Heya guys." Setzer said. "Nice of you to finally show up." 

"Be nice, Setzer." Celes chided, pulling her attention from the Material orb. 

"I am being nice." He said with a level expression. 

Cyan stood up. "I guess we can start, even though Edgar is not here. The whole issue at hand doth deal with Terra, Caezin, and some sort of a cult. Apparently the cult is after Terra....whether they see her as a potential threat, or perhaps as some sort of weapon...remains to be seen." 

"Kupo...weapon?" The moogle took a seat on a chair at the table, his beady little eyes peeking over the top of the table. 

"That's what me and Cyan have been talking about." Sabin said. "It makes sense....we all know that Terra is half-Esper, right? What happened to all the other Espers? Their magicite either disappeared, or they were sealed away to their own realm. That means that most likely Terra's the only Esper left." 

"An Esper with power, to boot." Strago added. "During that fight with Caezin she wasn't using Material to cast magic....she was casting it from her own body, the way we all used to cast magic. And the way that Espers cast magic as well." 

"It's true." a tired voice said from the doorway. The group at the table turned towards the door to see Terra standing there, with Edgar close behind her. Her face had reverted to the usual calm expression it normally held, but her eyes said otherwise. Her green eyes seemed tired, and a little sad. She made her way to the table, but didn't sit down. "I still don't like the idea of this....I don't want all of you to get involved in trouble because of me." 

Immediately a whole chorus of objections rose from the people seated around the table. Edgar raised his hands. "People! Listen! Hey, SHUT UP!!" The room fell silent. "She said that she doesn't like the idea....but she's going along with it. Tell them, Terra." 

"I know you've helped me in the past....and I still feel in debt because of that." She sat down in an empty chair. "But still....I know that if anything would happen to any of you, I would want to help. I wouldn't just turn the other way, no matter what you said. So I think it's only fair that we get rid of The Cult of Kefka together." 

The whole room started muttering things like "I thought we got rid of them?" and "Damn bastards....don't know when to quit." Terra shook her head. "I know, we thought that they died out with Kefka. Maybe they found a new leader....somebody pretending to be Kefka or something. But the point is, they're still out there." 

Celes looked baffled. "How do you know it's Kefka's Cult?" 

Edgar raised his hand. "I realized it. I knew that Caezin's uniform was familiar.....the green and white robes. But I remember finding Strago mixed in with the cult after were were separated by the apocalypse. He was wearing the same clothing, with other Cult members that were wearing the came clothes." 

Strago sighed. "That's right. Caezin somehow duped me into joining that cult. Don't know how he did it....but he was definitely a member. Apparently he still is." 

"So then we march up to that Tower of theirs, and eliminate 'em." Locke said. "Besides, I bet the tower's former owner wants it back." 

Relm stopped drawing a portrait of the group, and frowned. "Who's that?" 

"Prince Xain of Judoor. He built that tower right before the end of the world, and named it "Cosmo Tower". Then the cult disposed of him somehow and took over the tower." 

"He's dead?" the telepath asked. 

"I hope not." Locke replied. "He was a real nice guy.....helped me find out where the Phoenix Magicite was. Knowing Xain, he probably got away and is holed up somewhere." 

Strago looked at the Treasure Hunter. "So you're saying that Kefka's Tower is really named "Cosmo Tower"?" 

"Yep." 

The blue mage looked sly. "...and, he's the one who had the tower built, and lived there himself?" 

"Yep again. Where are you going with this, old man?" 

Strago rubbed his hands together and grinned. "It's just that I know that tower. It's hard to lay siege to it, and it's hard to climb it without being noticed." 

Locke fiddled with his bandanna. "Duh, I know....I was there." 

The blue mage sighed. "You miss the point, Locke. Every tower, castle and even house as a way to get in where you can't be noticed. If Xain is still around, maybe he knows a way we can get in. We go in, kill the new leader, and the cult disbands. Then after that, it'll be as simple as finding the old members and imprisoning them." 

"Doma shall offer her full assistance with this matter, then." Cyan said. 

"Figaro too." Edgar added. 

Terra looked around at her friends. "Well, it sounds good to me. Maybe this is the right way to go....and in the end, we get rid of a cult that could hurt others, and this Xain person gets his tower back. We probably should--" 

Her sentence was cut short by a flare of red light that shone through the windows, and then a crackling sound. The group quickly rushed outside, nearly stumbling over each other in their haste. Outside, groups of men in green and black robes flew about on chocobos as black as night, raising their hands up as they called forth fire spells. Rows of homes were on fire, as well as the trees near them. Citizens ran about the streets in panic, some trying to fight back against the cult members, some trying to put out the flames. None of them were doing a very good job. 

"Oh no..." Terra moaned. "I didn't think they'd slip this low...." 

Celes immediately whipped out her ice Material, and started casting ice spells on the burning houses. The flames slackened a bit, but didn't exactly go out. She grunted in frustration, and then tried again. After a moment she was hit by a high-level bolt spell, and completely floored. Locke ran to her side as the others drew their weapons. 

One of the black chocobos landed in front of the group, the rider wearing the same robes as the others. However, there was a certain cockiness in the way he sat in the saddle, and in the eyes hidden behind the mask. "I'm back." Caezin said almost calmly. "And this time I'll make it simple: I want that Esper witch." 

Terra stared at Caezin, and froze in her tracks. She honestly didn't know what to do. 

"Let me rephrase that." Caezin said. "I want her NOW." 

* * *


	7. Chapter 6 -- Searching for Hope

"Rebirth" -- Chapter Six **CHAPTER SIX  
Searching for Hope**

Caezin continued to sit in an overly confident manner in the saddle of his midnight-colored chocobo, the smug expression on his face easily detected through the veil he wore. The other riders of the Cult continued their onslaught, burning houses and townspeople alike, and the screams and cries of dispair wafted over to Terra, who stood towards the front of the group indecisively. 

"What, didn't you hear me?" Caezin said. "Do you need even MORE goading?" 

"I heard you." Terra's voice was low, almost dangerous. It was a tone that she rarely used. 

"Then be a good girl and come here. Don't make me burn anybody or anything else." 

Terra frowned, and opened her mouth to speak, when a needlelike dirk sailed past her head and head-on towards Caezin. She heard Locke say "Go to hell!" as the dagger flew towards the green-robed man before them. The chocobo nimbly dodged to the side, and the dirk sailed past to embed itself in an completely innocent burning house. Caezin looked at the dagger, and then back at the thief. 

"Stupid. Very stupid." the mage raised his hand and pointed at his assailant. "Shadow Flare." 

Locke blinked, confused, and then clutched at his sides as the air around him grew white-hot. His muffled cry was heard as darkness formed around him, and then exploded. When the magic cleared, he lay on the ground next to the already-floored Celes, gritting his teeth in pain. 

Sabin yelled, and shot an Aurabolt at Caezin. The Cult member swatted the mystic energy away as if it was a fly, sending it flying back towards Sabin. The prince ducked just in time, but Mog, who was standing behind him, was hit by the energy full-force in the face. With a squealing scream, the moogle flew back into the side of the Elder's house. 

Interceptor snarled, lunging at Caezin, but was disposed just as easily with another "Shadow Flare" spell. Caezin cast Fire3 on the entire group, rendering Celes, Mog and Locke near-unconscious, and the rest of them fairly weak, save for Terra, who for some reason absorbed the spell. The half-breed looked around at her friends, shaking her head. She couldn't let them get hurt anymore. This was insane....it had to stop. It had to stop by any means possible. 

"Stop it! Stop it right now!" She stepped forward. "They have nothing to do with this! My friends....the people of this town...make it stop! Don't hurt them!" 

Caezin removed his veil and gave Terra an almost shrewd expression, as if he was haggling over some wares instead of people's lives. "In that case, will you come with me?" 

Terra's head dropped, her shoulders slumping forward in defeat. "...yes." 

Edgar pulled himself up to his feet. "Terra, no!" 

She raised her head to face him, ignoring Edgar. "Anything to make you stop this. But...I have a condition...." 

The mage's expression was smug. "I don't think you're on any terms to make demands, my dear," 

Her voice was low and menacing again. "I could tear you apart, Caezin....but I won't. I'll ask for something instead....I want you to leave my friends alone. Don't hurt them anymore....and don't hurt Thamasa anymore." 

Caezin gave a shrill whistle, and the assault on the town stopped, the ranks of mounted Cult members forming up into neat lines behind their leader. "Done. Now..." He extended a hand towards her. 

Edgar shook his head. "Terra....please don't do this....there has to be another way." 

Terra took a tentative step towards Caezin, then turned to her friends. "Don't worry about me. It's the best I can do for you..." Her eyes softened as they fixed on the King of Figaro. "Take care of yourself, Edgar....and take care of my kids." She then turned to Caezin, who helped her sit in front of him on the saddle. She showed a momentary bit of disgust when Caezin wrapped his arms around her waist, but quickly pushed it back. Caezin shook the reins, and the Cult members took off to the sky, leaving the group standing there in disbelief. 

Edgar hung his head in silence, but his brother shared his and everyone else's sentiments at the moment, and his reaction expressed it perfectly. 

"...Goddamn them..." he said as he pounded a fist against the side of the Elder's house. 

* * * 

Terra watched as the ocean whizzed by below them, loathing herself more and more with each passing mile. There had to be another way....Edgar had said that. But she couldn't think of another way. She just wanted her friends...the people she loved, to be safe. The Esper inwardly cursed at herself for being so weak so..... 

...so human? Was that it? Was she truly human? She had finally started to feel human emotions....no, to remember them. Slowly but surely, the memories prior to the Slave Crown incident returned to her, although they were fuzzy....a mixture of jumbled images and confusing words. 

Her thoughts were interrupted by a hand that inched higher up her torso. She pushed it down. Caezin was getting more and more familiar with her on this trip to....to wherever, and she was doing her best to not let him succeed. The very thought of the old mage's wrinkled hands on her made her sick, and the thought of him putting them in places he shouldn't made her furious. She swallowed down her fury, and continued to sit obediently in the saddle. 

"So where are we going?" She managed to ask. 

"You don't necessarily have the right to ask questions." Caezin's voice said near her ear. 

"I went along as you asked, and I'm behaving. Can't I at least know where I'm headed?" 

Caezin sighed. "Fine...if you're going to be that way about it. We're headed to the Cult's Tower." 

"I should of figured that." Terra frowned, trying to think of a way out of the situation. She had threatened to tear Caezin apart, saying that she held more power than he did. The truth was, she was just bluffing to buy time, in hopes that somebody would of thought of something. Nobody did, so here she was, weak from fighting off a meteor spell earlier, on her way to...what? She saw what happened to the Espers...and her father. Was that going to happen to her? She didn't even know, or want to know. 

The chocobo circled down towards the ominous-looking tower that stood out against the stark desert it stood upon. Wherever she was headed, and whatever was going to happen to her would be made clear to her soon enough. 

* * * 

"Stop babying me." 

Celes checked Locke over again, casting perhaps more cure spells than were needed. "I just want to make sure you're okay..." She put a hand to his forehead. 

"I'm fine." the thief snapped irritably. "Shouldn't you make sure the others are all right?" 

The ex-general's blue eyes seemed to pale to a gray-blue. Locke knew that warning sign: she was either about to cry or about to kill something. "I'm only trying to help you..." 

He sighed, sitting up to fold her in his arms. "I'm sorry if I'm a little punchy....I didn't mean to yell. It's just that the thing we didn't want to happen just happened, and I feel helpless." 

Celes nodded wordlessly, obviously just as upset as he was. Across the room, there was another thud as Setzer punched the wall in frustration. The pale gambler seemed to be taking the abduction of Terra very personally, and now that he was healed, he had become almost violent. 

Celes raised her face from Locke's chest and turned towards her tall, pale friend. "Setzer...please stop it." 

Setzer slammed the wall with his fist again, making all the windows in the room vibrate. "I can't...I feel so...so...just as Locke put it! Helpless!" He raised his fist for another blow, then dropped it, panting. "It just isn't fair....luck always used to smile upon me. Always. But in the last few years...." He dropped down into a chair, pushing his silver hair out of his face with his right hand. Celes could clearly see that the skin on his knuckles was torn from him punching the brick wall. "You guys don't know what this does to me." His voice took on a solemn tone, not unlike the one he used when speaking about Daryl. 

Celes stood and went to kneel near him. "We all feel the same, Setzer...all of us. Terra's what brought us all together....Terra's a very dear friend to all of us. I understand." 

Setzer brought his bleeding hand down on his thigh almost vehemently. "No! You don't understand! It's because..." He stopped, looking at Celes with his gray eyes. "...it's because Terra's more than a friend to me." The gambler shook his head. "I tried to keep the whole thing plutonic....to not persue it. But I can't ignore it. I know how I feel about her, and I can't stop denying it....not ever, not at a time like this." 

Locke gave a low whistle. "And I thought Edgar had it bad....why didn't you tell any of us?" 

The gambler sighed. "I didn't want to be so damn obvious. Sure...everybody knew about Edgar, how damn smitten he was with her...but I didn't want to seem like a love-struck buffoon like him. So I kept silent, I kept it to myself. I didn't even tell Terra...although I really wish I did. For some reason, I think that if she knew that somebody really..." he nearly choked on the word. "_..loved_ her, she would of stayed with us. She wouldn't of left." 

The treasure hunter shook his head. "You've got it all wrong, Setz. Terra left because she knew that she was loved. And she loved us back...all of us. We're like family at this point....and that's how Terra sees us. We're the only warmth she's ever gotten, aside from those children in Moblitz. She left so the people she loved...so that we wouldn't get hurt." 

"Don't blame yourself, Setzer." Celes said softly. "Nobody prompted her decision....it was Terra's to decide, and nobody could of wavered it." 

"What about Edgar?" Setzer strained through gritted teeth. "I heard her...of all of us that were there, she turned to him and said 'take care of yourself, Edgar'. I heard her! You're saying that nobody could of changed her mind....what about good ol' Eddy? Huh? It's obvious who she holds in the highest regard...if anybody could of said anything or did anything....why the hell didn't he? Why did he just respond with a 'Terra, no'?!" 

Locke stood up angrily and strode over to the gambler. "Don't you even blame Edgar...or anybody else. How do you think Edgar feels?" Setzer stared up at the sandy-haired man stupidly as the thief waggled an angry finger in his face. "He feels just the same as you! At least he said SOMETHING. He tried his best, just as we were all trying to get to our feet. And what about me? I tried too!" Locke grunted as Setzer turned away. "Look at me you asshole....this is NOT just about you and Terra, this is about ALL OF US. We all feel damn terrible, and we all want to do something! So suck it up and come back to reality!" 

Setzer stood up angrily, towering over the thief, who was a good five inches shorter than he was. "You're not helping thief....why don't you just shut the hell up and get out of my face?" 

It came without warning. At one moment, Locke's arms lay at his sides; the next, his right fist came up swiftly to clip Setzer harshly against his jaw. The gambler, who was not prepared for the blow, staggered back and fell into the chair behind him, just as Celes stood up, crying out Locke's name in shock. The treasure hunter glared down at Setzer, brown eyes burning, and opened his mouth as if to say something but was cut short by Celes. 

"Knock it off! What's wrong with you, Locke?" 

Locke continued to glare down at Setzer, who was massaging his jaw while locking the gaze of the man standing in front of him. The thief stood there for a few more uneasy seconds, and then strode out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Celes looked at Setzer. "Are you all right?" 

He nodded. "He's damn strong for a little shit. I'll be fine...just surprised me, that's all." 

She sighed. "I'm sorry about this.....I'd better go talk to him." 

Setzer sat up, waggling his jaw like a cow chewing cud. "Yeah, you'd better...before he pops somebody else." 

Celes rushed out of the room into the main room of the Elder's house, but didn't see Locke anywhere. Mog was seated near the doorway. 

She looked at him. "Where...?" 

"Outside." the moogle said before she could finish her sentence. "And did he look mad." 

Celes brushed past Mog, and nearly walked past Locke, who sat against the side of the house, holding his head in his hands. He didn't move when she sat down next to him, but made a faint grunting sound. She slipped an arm around his shoulders. "Locke..." 

"Look, you don't have to say anything. I know I was an ass, I know I shouldn't of hit him or blew up like that, it's just..." He raised his face, which held an expression of anger, frustration and sadness all rolled into one. "The whole situation upsets me....really upsets me." He closed his eyes and sighed. Absently Celes noted how long his eyelashes were....something that made him seem even more beautiful to her. "I've known Terra longer and better than anybody else. I was the one who came to her in those mines...I was the one who always supported her during the Kefka thing. And it wasn't because I was doing it for her sake....I was doing it, because I said I would." He opened his chocolate brown eyes partway, his gaze distant. "I promised her that I would always protect her. That I would never let anything happen to her." 

"You said that to me too." 

"I know. I said that to you because I love you, Celes. But I love Terra too....not the way Setzer or Edgar do, but more like she's family. Like she's a part of who I am. She filled that gap that I held inside me....made me feel like I had some hope in this world. Made me feel like I had something to actually live for, if ever slightly." He turned his head to face her. "Banon said that Terra was a ray of hope. He was right...she was; she was the hope in me." 

Celes nodded, knowing that she should feel jealous, but for some reason she didn't. "It's okay." 

"Is it?" He rested his head against the wall behind him and swallowed, his adam's apple bobbing. "I don't care if I sound selfish, or seem like an idiot. I miss her, and I want to do anything to get her back with us, where she belongs." Locke sighed, his voice taking on a mournful tone. "Is that so wrong?" 

She shook her head. "No. No, it's not." There was nothing else to say, so she rested her head against his shoulder, and sat with him until his melancholy passed. 

* * * 

The tower was almost exactly as she had remembered it: tier upon tier upon tier of endless stairways, all spiraling up to the unknown. Doorways were on many of the floors; some did not have doors, some merely housed landings for the seemingly endless stairway. Terra panted as she was forced up the blue-black stairs, ignoring the fact that Caezin harshly held her wrist in a surprisingly strong grip. She had thought him a weak old man, but for some reason this ascent up the staircase seemed to barely phase him. It definitely phased her, though. Being half-Esper, she was blessed with a high stamina and strength, especially for a woman. However, that strength and stamina were sapping away with each step. 

She stumbled, nearly pulling Caezin down with her. He harshly pulled her up with a disproving expression. 

"Can I ask something?" she panted. 

"I suppose." he conceded. 

"If everybody was riding black chocobos that can fly, why didn't you just fly them to the top of the staircase? It would of saved time and effort." She didn't want to openly admit that she was exhausted, although that was probably already evident to the old mage. 

Caezin continued without slowing. "The Master doesn't allow just anybody to go to his area, and that includes chocobos. He would probably flay me if I brought some smelly birds into his presence. So, we walk." 

Terra sighed ruefully. "This isn't fair." 

"In your case, nothing is fair. That was the general idea." 

She ignored that. "I'm half-Esper, and probably one of the strongest women alive. Why is it that you, a man who has to be around seventy, can outwalk a twenty-year-old half-esper on a stairway?" 

"My Master rewards me for his service. I asked for youth in return for my services, so he's going to give me it a little bit at a time. He's already given me the strength and stamina of a young man." He leered at her. "Probably even more than your little blond boy-toy." 

The half-breed growled, an almost animalistic sound. "Don't you ever speak of my friends like that." 

Caezin continued to drag her along, smiling in a naughty way. "Oh, you mean that king isn't your sexual slave? Too bad for you....he looks like he would of been willing to boff you any day." 

Terra ignored her situation, and kicked him in the back of his knee with an angry shriek. He went down, pulling her down with him, causing both of them to fall back down several stairs onto the previous landing. Terra rolled a bit more, and nearly fell off the landing. She clutched at the railing and peered at the far dropoff below, the gray-stoned ground some forty stories down. The Esper backed up until she came to a wall, and sighed in relief. 

Suddenly, the air around her became very hot, and a blinding white light surrounded her. Darkness seemed to draw to the hot air around her, like a magnet. Waves of pain ripped through her body as flashes of brilliant white and pitch black marred her vision. There was a loud popping sound, and she fell to the ground, writhing her legs in pain as she clutched at her sides. The remaining traces of the Shadow Flare spell dissipated, and she heard Caezin step up to her. 

"Don't try that again, bitch." he said almost shrilly. "I don't think you can stand another one." 

Terra gritted her teeth, and slowly stood up. She absolutely hated this man, and everything he stood for...and she made no effort to conceal that fact from her face. 

Caezin just looked at her. "You can hate me all you want, bitch, but you can't do much. I know how weak you are at this point, so I doubt you can do much, other than kick me again. If you come along and behave, you'll be treated better. If you don't behave...well, this will be absolute hell for you, my dear." 

She stared at him with her grass-green eyes, and narrowed them to angry slits. "I don't care how long it takes me, or how I do it....but I just want you to know that someday, I'll make sure you get the rewards for a fool with no morals." She then brushed past him, and obediently started climbing the staircase again. 

* * * 

Edgar shook his head as somebody knocked at the door again. He didn't want to be bothered at all tonight, not after Terra was taken away. It was his fault. He could of done something, he could of spared her somehow. But he didn't. Only desperate words came to him, words from a panicky idiot that didn't know what to do in a critical situation. He was a king, he was supposed to be able to handle critical situations! And yet, his mind and all his years of experience failed him when the person that changed his life was taken away. 

The nagging knocking continued, and Edgar rubbed at his face. "...you're bloody persistent. Is it that important? I said I didn't want to see anybody." 

Somebody jiggled the door handle, and a snuffling sound was heard near the foot of the door. A muffled "Interceptor, sit" was heard. The voice was familiar. 

Edgar sighed, rose, and unlatched the door to let Relm in. "Of all people, I didn't expect to see you come over to me." 

Relm looked at Edgar's ravaged face critically. "Were you crying?" 

"No, and that's none of your business. Did you want something?" 

"Yes, just to talk to you." She sat down in a chair near the oak table at the far end of the room. Everybody knew that Edgar had locked himself in his room at the Inn, but nobody could manage to get to him. Relm figured that maybe if Edgar talked to a kid instead of an adult, he might listen to reason. 

Edgar sat on the edge of the bed wearily. "Fine. Talk away." 

The young artist took her hat off, and let her hair down. "I think you're being childish." 

"That's pretty good, coming from a child." 

"If that's what you think, doesn't that mean anything to you? A kid telling you that you're acting immature?" 

"Immature?" With his Figaronian accent, he pronounced the word "imma-tour". 

"Yeah. The rest of us have been thinking of something to do all night....planning ever since we recovered from the Cult's attack, and all YOU did was sit in here and pout for..." She glanced at the clock on the wall, which indicated that it was now quarter after eleven. "...almost four hours now?" 

"I am not pouting." he said stubbornly as he stood up again. 

She stood up. "Oh, sorry....you were simpering. My mistake." 

Edgar's blue eyes flashed like ice. "I think you should leave, Relm." 

"No, I don't think I should. I think I should try to explain what us intelligent people are doing, in hopes that we can save our friend that we ALL love and that we ALL miss." She crossed the room to him. "You're not the only one who's hit hard by this, so don't act like you are!" 

Edgar looked down at the girl, not knowing what to say. He slowly sank back down to sit on the bed, and rubbed at his face, groaning. "I'm sorry....you're right. I'm being an ass right now, but I don't know what else to do. I feel like this whole thing wouldn't of happened if I had only thought of something." He sat there silently, his hands concealing his face from his guest. 

When Relm spoke again, her tone was soft. "It wasn't your fault, Edgar. I feel bad too, you know....I feel like it was my fault, that maybe I could of controlled Caezin's mind, or maybe magically sketched that chocobo platoon....but I didn't. I just sat there like the rest of us, because things were happening so fast. I know how you feel helpless, but you're not." She sat down next to him, and pulled his hands away from his face to look him in the eye. "We all have to work together on this, all right? We can get her back...we've done it before." 

Edgar nodded slowly. For some reason the girl's stare broke through the layer of stubborn self-loathing he had sheathed himself in, and made his thoughts clear again. "All right, Relm. I think I'm ready to help, now that I'm done.....simpering, was it?" He managed a small smile. 

"Good, keep smiling....maybe you'll cheer up a little bit." 

He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Thank you for helping a hard-headed monarch see the light, my lady." 

Relm giggled. "No problem. Can I tell all my friends that a handsome king kissed me?" 

His small smile broadened into a grin. "Only if you tell me that we have a plan." 

She stood, and gracefully curtsied to him. "Your Majesty, we do in fact, have a plan." The telepath smiled, dimples popping up on her cheeks. "And I play a big role in it too." 

* * *


	8. Chapter 7 -- A Man With a Plan

"Rebirth" -- Chapter Seven **CHAPTER SEVEN  
A Man With A Plan**

When Edgar, Relm and Interceptor entered the Elder's house, the usual familiar faces were gathered around the living room, all discussing things noisily. A large dish of glowing material sat on the coffee table, casting an eerie green sheen to everything despite the lamplight. The Cult's attack had put the power out throughout the entire town. A few citizens died, and a few houses were severely burned, but that was of no moment to the group. Thamasa could handle itself; Terra couldn't. 

Relm sat down next to her grandfather, and looked up at Edgar. "Why don't you have a seat? You'll like this plan." 

The babble in the room died down as Setzer stood to speak. "We thought long and hard about this...that is, after we all spent time feeling sorry for ourselves. Some, more than others." He didn't even glance at Edgar on that phrase, his tone clearly dictated to whom he was referring. "However, after we were done pouting, some of us started to get the gears in our heads turning, and formulated a good plan." He looked at Relm. "Our little telepathic artist friend assured me that she can communicate with Terra telepathically, because of her Esper heritage. All Espers are telepaths, so odds are Terra is too, unknowingly." 

The artist nodded. "I think that if I can 'tap-in' to Terra's mind, I can figure out where exactly she's being held." 

"The Cult of Kefka's Tower." Sabin said with a shrug. "Everybody knows that." 

"It's a big tower, Sabin." Locke said from the chair he idly lounged in. "That's why I suggested that we find the man who knows that tower in and out....that is, we follow our initial plan." He adjusted the knot on his blue-and-white bandanna. "We find Prince Xain of Jidoor, trek up to the Tower, and storm it. We wipe out this nasty Cult problem, and get Terra back in the process. As simple as that." 

"It sounds simple, but we all know it won't be." Edgar said dubiously. 

Setzer grinned a wolflike grin. "And that's where you come in, my boy." 

Edgar blinked. "Me?" 

Setzer sat back down, and leaned back easily in his chair. "Yep, the King of Figaro is going to be the lead of 'Operation Terra'." 

The blond king shook his head. "I...don't know if I'm okay with this..." 

"Well, it's like this," The pale gambler started to idly toy with a die. "We have two groups. The one group will find Xain, go with him, and go into the tower and wipe out that cult. Celes will lead that one, since she's shown magnificent leadership before." 

Celes batted her eyelashes. "Oh, stop...I'll blush." 

Setzer fixed his gray eyes on the King of Figaro. "And you, the pride of the Figaronian Empire, the master of machinery, and the most persistent bastard in the lot of us will lead the group in to get Terra back, and get rid of Caezin." 

Edgar looked around the room and found the face of his brother. "You're not even going to back me up, Sabin?" 

Sabin shrugged. "Actually, I suggested that you head the group that saves Terra, since I figure you two will probably be overly happy to see each other." 

The king's face assumed a flat expression. "Thank you, brother." He sighed, and drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair. "All right, fine. I'm in....but if I'm leading this parade, I decide who marches with who." Edgar scanned the room with his blue eyes, making quick decisions. He was wrong to think that he couldn't handle the situation....he knew he was made for situations like this, and so did his brother. As he picked his companions, he wondered why Sabin didn't suggest he go get Terra himself earlier. 

"All right." Edgar said. "Sabin, Gau, Relm, Setzer and Interceptor come with me. Locke, Strago, Mog, Cyan and this Xain fellow go with Celes." He looked about the room at his friends. "Any objections?" 

Strago raised a thin hand. "Actually, yes...I might need Relm's ability with magic and telepathy when fighting the cult." 

Edgar thoughtfully ran his tongue over his teeth, and nodded. "Fine then...she pinpoints where Terra is, and then she goes with your group." 

"It's always nice to be wanted." Relm giggled. 

The king of Figaro fixed his eyes on the large heap of material that sat with a cold glow on the coffee table in the center of the room. "And what about this stuff? It seems we have more than we did before." 

"That's because we were working on it." Celes said. "Sabin, Gau and I went out and made more material." 

Edgar frowned. "We only had so much lifestream. Where did you get more?" 

Celes smiled a bit slyly. "Well....Rickart didn't exactly obey your orders. He packed up and left...but he went straight to the Veldt to get some more lifestream. He came back right after all the fires were put out, and after you decided to go off and pout. We made at least thirty orbs tonight, with a good variety of spells. 

"Which ones?" the blond king asked. 

Celes ticked them off on her fingers as she ran across the list. "Well, we have Fire, Bolt, Ice, Quake, Cure, Sleep, Bio, Haste and Ultima. Some spells, like Vanish, Pearl and Merton just wouldn't work. Things changed though....Ultima isn't as effective as it was. Instead of an expanding ball of blue energy, it's a green mist that's nearly as destructive, but not exactly. I only made one of those, because creating the one made me tired. I also changed the name of Remedy to "Esuna"....since it was the name of the spell I learned when becoming a knight. And not only that, but we can't cast "Sleep" exactly..." 

Edgar frowned. "Why not?" 

Sabin coughed apologetically. "Uh, that would be my bad. I made a Sleep material, but instead of saying "Sleep", I accidentally mumbled my words and said. "Sleepel"." 

His brother actually laughed. "Sleepel? That's interesting. So we'll just say "Sleepel" when casting the spell. All right, so we have all this material....is there enough to go around?" 

Celes nodded. "I figure that everybody can have at least three material orbs. I think the extra ones should go to me, Strago, Relm and Gau, since we were always the most proficient with magic." 

"There's a problem, though." Edgar said a bit ruefully. "Material only seems to work when you're holding it...or at least physically touching it. Are we supposed to whip it out of our pockets when we need it?" 

"Brother, don't worry...it's been taken care of." Sabin extended an arm, and indicated a strange metal bracelet that had several round holes in it. "Rickart also had your lab boys come up with these things....they're steel armlets made specifically to hold material." He tapped the bracelet around his wrist. "Material is sort of magnetic, so when you put a material orb in one of these slots, it doesn't fall out. Not only that, but material's energy is conducted by metal, just like electricity is. By putting the material orbs in these bracelets, and having the metal in contact with your skin, you can use the magic without having to hold an orb in your hand." 

"Does it work?" His brother asked. 

"I tried it, so did Celes. It works really well." 

He nodded. "Good. That detail is settled, so let's move along. So tell us," the blond king went on, facing the Locke. "where do we find this friend of yours, Locke?" 

The thief sat up straight in his chair, removing his leg he had cocked over the one chair arm. "Remember that art nut, Owezer?" 

Setzer laughed. "Oh that tank ass..." 

Relm stamped her foot. "He's not a tank ass....he's a very nice, very intelligent man." 

"Whatever." Locke went on. "He's actually the Duke of Jidoor. He rules in Xain's place." 

Edgar frowned. He had never approved of Dukedoms. "So you're saying that since he does Xain's job for him, he probably would know where Xain ran off to?" 

The thief gave a sly smile. "He'd better know, he's Xain's uncle...and Xain always made sure to keep in contact with his relatives, if only to know how well his little rich man empire is running." 

* * * 

They reached the top of the tower after what seemed to be ages. Terra fell to her hands and knees, panting. Even Caezin seemed a little winded, although he didn't show it very much. He stood next to Terra and patiently waited until she caught her breath. 

"Not that I feel sorry for you, but I want you in good condition when you meet my Master." he explained. 

Terra slowly stood, brushing black gravel from her knees. "I'm probably not permitted to know who your master is, am I?" 

"Not exactly, no. However, if you're lucky, you'll be able to see his face. Seeing The Master's face is considered a privilege, and an honor." 

Terra decided not to comment on that one, but instead fixed her eyes on the wooden temple that stood on the rooftop, a little to the left. It seemed a little more ornate than the last time she had seen it; there were strange sigils and the faces of what appeared to be spirits or maybe even deities, all carved into the wood of the temple itself. Faint candlelight inside made the rice-paper windows glow slightly, but that was the only light on the rooftop, save the moon. Her cold glow illuminated the walls of the structure, but kept the terrace-like structure in shadow. Terra, however, easily sensed a man within that pool of shadows. 

Caezin went to the foot of that terrace, and kneeled down on the harsh gravel, nearly pressing his forehead to the cold stones. "Master, I have the Esper witch, as you wish." 

"Good job, Caezin. Keep this up, and you'll be a young man within a month." His voice was quiet, and somewhat cold, and yet... 

...it was familiar. Terra stood up slowly, taking what energy she had left to focus her attention on Caezin's master. He continued to stand in the sanctuary of darkness provided by the terrace's roof, yet Terra could clearly see his lithe outline with her sharp eyes. He wasn't a massive man, but he was somewhat tall, and stood with his arms crossed lightly. Even the way he stood was familiar, although it was on a different man. A man that was dead, or so she thought...and hoped. "Who...?" she ventured. 

The man took a few steps forward. "I didn't give you permission to ask me questions, Esper. Keep quiet, or you won't live much longer." 

Terra sighed. "I think that it's only fair that you let me speak occasionally. I came willingly, you know....Caezin didn't get me to come here out of any wonder from the Goddesses." 

Caezin raised his face. "Well, I DID use Thamasa, and her little friends as a bargaining chip, Master. I thought it was a fair exchange, don't you?" 

The Master's shoulders shook in mute humor. "Too bad, though...since I won't uphold my part of the bargain." 

Terra looked up at the man concealed in shadow. "You can't do that! Caezin gave me his word!" 

Caezin stood and laughed, a particularly ugly sound. "I said that I wouldn't harm Thamasa, or your friends. I never said that my Master wouldn't." 

Terra took a threatening step towards Caezin, her green eyes ablaze. "You dirty bastard! I should--!" She was cut short as the man in the shadows raised his hand slightly, palm towards her. Green waves of energy shot out from around his feet, and suddenly her body froze up completely, her joints locking. Terra stood there helplessly as the Stop spell held her prisoner. 

"Please, behave yourself." The Master said. "I can't stand guests who can't mind their manners." He took a few steps down from the terrace, to stand next to Caezin on the gravel, his soft-shod feet making no sound. Terra managed to make a startled sound as she saw her captor's face. She had never seen the entirety of it....just usually the face around the eyes and nose. But it was familiar, as was the rest of the body of its owner. He was still slim yet muscular, he was still light on his feet, and he still wrapped himself in skin-tight silk as dark as night. 

Shadow smiled at her, a smile that held no warmth or emotion, one that held dark thoughts behind it instead. "Caezin, tell my technicians to put the finishing touches on the room, and be sure to have them check that the equipment is working. Our Esper guest will be staying a while, and it would only be fair that we accommodate her." He snapped his fingers, and Terra heard footsteps come up behind her. She struggled to even focus her mind for magic, but couldn't do anything but stand there helplessly. The half-breed felt a sharp jab, like a needle in her arm, and then a sudden woozy sensation. 

Then the world went black, with Shadow's orders to his men drifting to her with her last few moments of consciousness. 

* * * 

Setzer frowned as he looked around Jidoor. "I hate this place." 

"Why?" asked Mog, as he gripped his Pearl Lance. The weapon seemed comically large when the white-furred creature held it, but the way he held it indicated that it was not only a large weapon in his hands, but a deadly one as well. "I thought you liked all that glitz and glamour stuff." 

The gambler sighed. "It's one thing to make your way up, and earn your wealth. It's another thing to get there by riding on other people's backs. That's all Jidoor is...it's a town full of yuppies that get by only because they constantly look down their noses at Zozo and other towns. They're so overstuffed, they can't even see their own feet." He grunted. "Besides, this is my home town. I hate it like a bitch." 

"I always thought you'd be from Zozo, Setz." Locke said as they walked up the marble stairway that lead up to Owezer's manor....otherwise known as the "palace" of the town. It was large enough to be a palace. Then again, most of the buildings in Jidoor were. "You seem more like a "rough cutthroat" sort of guy to me." 

"Don't judge a book by it's cover." Setzer looked down the staircase and waited as Relm caught up. The rest of the group remained on the Falcon, still planning the intricate details of rescuing Terra. The tall gambler wanted to ditch this whole Xain idea and rush to that tower just as much as anybody did, even Edgar....but Locke had raised a point: how else would they sneak in? They didn't have powerful magic at their side like they did the first time they stormed the place. Stealth would be the key here....move swiftly and move quietly. 

Relm reached the top of the staircase, and continued towards the door. "It'll be good to see Owezer again. I have a picture for him, too." 

"Kupo....so you're just gonna waltz in?" The moogle shook his head. "Doesn't he still have weird monsters as guard animals in there?" 

She frowned down at Mog. "You're a weird monster too. Aren't moogles supposed to have some weird powers to keep their enemies away?" 

Mog blinked his beady blue-black eyes. "Oh yeah...I forgot about my keep-away doodad thingity." 

Setzer sighed and rubbed at his scarred face with a hand. "You mean your Moogle Charm, idiot." If it wasn't for the fact that Mog could keep all the monsters and the like away from them, Setzer would of insisted the little beast remain on the falcon. Either that, or send the cat-eared rat back to Narshe. 

Mog puffed up his fur angrily, flapping his wings to fly up to Gabianni eye-level. "Don't call me an idiot, po! I'll have you know that I'm darn smart for a moogle my age!" 

Locke took the creature out of the air and firmly set him down on the stoop before the massive white-and-gold door. "That's nice. Can we go inside now?" 

Relm attempted to open the door, but it was locked. Locke eradicated that problem in approximately three seconds, and then they were all inside. As it was before, the main hall of the mansion was nothing more than an expansive art gallery. Mog reached up to flick on the lights, and then looked around. 

"Po..." He said. "Looks like that guy's gotten more artwork since the last time we were here." 

"Of course." Relm said in an offhand way, as they ascended the staircase to the main art gallery. "He loves art, it only makes sense that he'd collect it constantly. I don't know how he gets the money, though..." 

"Taxes." Locke said as they walked towards a particular painting, one of a doorway. It was a simple picture, of a door in what appeared to a kitchen from medieval times. On the other side of the door, was what appeared to be rolling hills, but the artist didn't seem too concerned with putting too much detailing in the background. He seemed more intent with the door. 

Relm looked at the painting, and sniffed. "Grazou. I never liked his stuff...mainly because he was an egotist...and then later in life, he was an insane egotist. She pressed the small panel underneath the painting, and the wall below it slid away, revealing a staircase up. At the same time, the painting slid into a hidden compartment behind the wall, revealing a real door. The young artist took a few steps up to it, and opened it easily. "It's not locked..." 

Locke grinned. "If you had a secret door, would you take the time to lock it?" He and his other two companions followed Relm into the dimly-lit hallway. "Uh...Relm? Do you remember the right way there?" 

"I think so." She said. "If not, we can always mill around in here for a few days." 

Nobody said anything on that subject, although they did all think about it. The way to Owezer's living areas was a hell, since it was a maze of doorways, twisted halls, and dead ends. The whole thing looked like something from an Etscher drawing, which is probably where Owezer got the idea from. 

Relm lead them almost confidently through the bizarre passageways, apparently sure where to go. Sometimes she would stop before several doorways, and then seem to pick one at random. Whether it was luck or maybe that she really knew her way though the maze, they made their way along without running into dead ends, or without going in circles. Eventually, they reached a large doorway to what appeared to be a study. A large mahogany and silk chase lounge chair sat before a roaring hearth, a hearth that had a familiar picture of the beautiful Esper Starlet hung above it--the picture painted by none other but Relm herself. Various other fine works of art, both sculpted and painted, lay scattered about the room, as if the owner of them didn't know what to do with them all. The owner of all these art pieces sat in the mahogany and silk chair, reading one of the many leather-bound books that the study contained. Owezer was still dressed in rich silks, still pale as a ghost, and still grossly fat. His hair was perhaps a bit more gray, but that was the only real indication of his age, his weight making it otherwise a mystery. The fat man raised his eyes from his book when Relm entered the room with her entourage. 

Owezer's broad face split into a grin almost as broad. "Why, if it isn't little Relm Arrowny! My dear, come in! And don't tell your friends to be shy, either....they're welcome as well. I think I see some familiar faces among them." He sat up a bit more in his chair, and set his book aside. "What brings you all this way?" 

Relm was admiring a sculpture of what appeared to be an all-male orgy. Apparently, as long as it was art, nothing shocked her. "Well, we're here because of the guy over there in the bandanna." 

"Locke Cole, the self-proclaimed "Treasure Hunter"?" Owezer looked shrewdly at the man in question. "Yes, I've heard of him." 

Locke suddenly pulled off a fluid bow. "Your grace." 

Owezer laughed, his vast belly jiggling. "And he's just as bright as I've heard...so, Cole...you know about my title." 

"Only because I know your nephew. Consequently, he's the reason we're here....we need to talk to him about something important." 

The fat duke grunted. "As do I. See all these lovely bits of art? Most of them are supposed to go to him, so he can move them to his new "Cosmo Tower". The only problem is that insane cult is still up there. Ever since they moved in, Xain has been scarce." 

"We know the whole cult issue, your grace." Setzer said. "That's why we're here...we were hoping to talk to Xain about getting into the tower safely and stealthily. They've stolen something very valuable to us." 

"What is it, my boy? Maybe I can buy you a new one. I have no real purpose for all this money I get, anyway." 

Relm sat in a chair next to Owezer's. "They took a friend of ours...the one that I told you about....she's the one who's half-Esper." 

He grunted, and folded his hands on his paunch. "So they've taken your friend, and you want to assault the tower to get them back?" 

"That's about the gist of it, Owezer." Relm apparently ignored titles. 

The fat man stood up with some difficulty, and waddled over to a bookshelf, carrying the book he was reading prior to Relm's entrance. "Well, I really would like to help you. I heard that Esper girl is a real sweet person, but I don't have the damnedest idea where my nephew would be." 

Relm sighed. "Don't lie, Owezer. You know where he is, you're just afraid that if we find him, he might decide to take this villa back from you, and then you'd lose all your art." 

He peered at her shrewdly. "So...you did fully become a telepath, didn't you?" He sighed, and shelved his book. "I guess I should apologize for lying, but it's just that I'm afraid my beautiful collection will be taken away from me. When I was just plain duke, I could barely afford the basics...now that I've taken over Xain's job here, I have enough...no, MORE than enough to expand my collection." 

Setzer looked down at the bronze male group-sex sculpture. "Is that why you have this...thing?" 

Owezer looked at the offensive piece. "Oh, that. It was a gift...believe me, I didn't want it." He looked over at the large painting Locke was examining. "Careful.....that one cost a lot of money, since it was apparently painted by an Esper." 

The painting was an intricate one done in oils on a velvet background. It wasn't the mere beauty of the painting that caught the thief's attention, it was the subject. A bird that seemed to be made of pure flames spread its pinions and raised its elegantly pointed beak in repose. Within the form of the fiery animal was the life-size figure of a woman in a cream-colored robe. Her hair was long and black, and her expression kind yet sad, almost of regret. She clutched one hand to her breast, while extending the other gently to the viewer, almost as if she wished to share something. 

Locke stared at the painting with a hollow expression. "...an Esper?" His voice was solemn. He reached up to the painting, as if to hold the hand the woman was so kindly extending to him. Setzer looked up at the painting, and it only took him a moment to recognize the woman in it, and the fiery beast she was contained in. 

"It's a lovely piece, painted by some Esper long ago named Harsghalt. Apparently he was a time-element Esper with the ability to see the future, so he painted this long before Phoenix was reborn. Although the woman inside the Phoenix is a mystery to me." He waddled over to the two men standing in front of the painting. "Are you all right, Mr. Cole? You look a bit pale." 

"This woman..." He looked up at her face with eyes that held sadness and perhaps a bit of self-contempt. "...this woman died years ago, in a town to the north...Kohlingen. Her name was Rachel...and I loved her." He turned to Owezer. "About a year ago, I found a stone that could restore life...the magicite from the Phoenix. But it was damaged. When I tried to use it to revive her, she gave her own life and essence..." His voice trailed off, and he picked up again, a few seconds later. "She gave herself up so that the Phoenix would be healed, and so she and Phoenix became one." He lowered his eyes. "That's why I'm a bit pale, your grace. Not many people know about Rachel, or Phoenix." 

Owezer patted Locke kindly on the shoulder with a chubby hand. "Don't let it bring up any bad memories, my boy. Sometimes paintings can draw us in, and bring out the laughter in us...or the tears." He looked up at the exquisite picture. "I would offer it to you, but it belongs to Xain, since the Phoenix is the center of his life." He sighed, and turned away from the artwork. "That's why he's been gone...he has been praying for Phoenix to return to him. He hopes that when it returns, he can take his tower back, and take a select few from this miserable high-rise town and move them to Cosmo Tower. That is his plan." He grunted, and tapped at his chin. "Although, this might be a fair trade-off for you and him." 

"Trade-off?" Setzer asked. "What sort of trade-off?" 

Owezer made his way back to his chair, and sat down. "Well, Xain hopes to take his tower back, and you want to take over the tower as well. I think he might help you in your little quest, if you give him something in return." 

Setzer leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. "What would he get, anyway? I think getting his own tower back would be enough payment." 

"You don't know Xain." the fat duke said almost gloomily. "He's the most complex man I've ever met, and he isn't even thirty yet. I think that if you give him the Phoenix Magicite you were talking about, he'd gladly help you get your Esper friend back." 

"That'll be hard to do, your grace." Locke said, sighing. "All the magicite disappeared after we defeated Kefka....including Phoenix. Sorry, but I can't give him something that isn't there. Besides, he's the guy who gave the magicite to me." 

Owezer gazed levelly at the thief. "Excuse me?" 

Locke sat down in a chair. "I've known Xain for several years now...I even ran some errands for him...ones dealing with Banon, anyway. When the apocalypse came and my friends and myself were thrown apart, I was flung to a far corner of the world, like the rest of them. I also hit my head pretty hard...so I was knocked out for several days. When I came to, some weird gray beast was watching over me." 

"That would be Django." the duke offered. 

"Yeah, him. Anyway, he told me that Xain was the one who saved me. Sure enough, Xain came along, and I told him my story...the whole deal with Kefka. We got to talking, and I told him a little more about my past, including Rachel. He then mentioned that he had a rock that could restore life, hidden in a star-shaped volcano range. I eagerly jumped on this opportunity, so when I was well enough he took me to the cave, and the rest is history." He leaned forward. "Look, I would love to sit here and chit-chat about my wonderful adventures, but my friends and I really need to find Xain. I think he's the only one who can get us into that tower safely, and he's the only one that can guide us out of it. Knowing Xain, he'll help me out. He doesn't turn his back on friends." 

Mog silently sat off to the side, and exchanged a look with Relm. Mog had heard the conversation between Celes and Locke the previous night, and he knew that Locke wanted Terra back as badly as Setzer or Edgar did. Relm nodded in response; she understood. 

Owezer drummed his chubby fingers on the arm of his chase lounge. "All right...but tell him that I'm happy with my job in stuffed peacockville. Despite the snooty citizens, I can have my art. That is, I can have the one thing that makes me happy." He stopped drumming his fingers. "You'll find Xain in the same cave you mentioned, Mr. Cole. He's in the Star-Shaped Mountains, in the volcanic Cave of the Phoenix, no doubt trying to call Phoenix back again. Good luck in getting him out of there." 

* * *


	9. Chapter 8 -- Plans in Motion

"Rebirth" -- Chapter Eight **CHAPTER EIGHT  
Plans in Motion** Terra awoke and took in her surroundings groggily. There was nothing spectacular about the room from what she could see, aside than the fact that it was dark. Her head throbbed, as did her wrists and ankles, and with some slight experimental movements, she realized she was cuffed around each appendage, including her neck, and secured to a chill metal table. A few console lights blinked in the darkness, giving a rough indication of the size of the room. It appeared to be only twenty feet long, and about fifteen feet wide. There was the faint hum of machinery and fans, and every once in a while, a clicking sound, like a breaker popping, would be heard. Then there was the constant, low beep to her left, an alien sound. Aside from these sensory clues, Terra couldn't discern that she was much of anywhere, aside from a lab. 

There was a click sound, and cold florescent lights from above blinded her momentarily. Terra blinked in the harsh lighting, but didn't see anybody in the room. She did note that the reason the table felt so cold is because they had removed all her clothing, save her undergarments. This apparently had a purpose, for many discs with wires connected to them were attached to various spots on her bare skin, most of them on her torso. She turned her face to the left, and saw a small machine that housed all the wires from the discs. It gave off a soft beeping sound, and every time it made a sound, a thin green line would wiggle on a small viewscreen. Terra swallowed hard. She was thirsty, and still weak from both the drugs and her encounter with Shadow. 

She blinked a few tears away. So that's what happened to him. Terra always hoped that he had found peace, even in death, but now it was obvious that death didn't claim him just yet. Instead, insanity had found him. Terra choked down her grief as the subject of her thoughts entered the room. 

"Comfortable?" 

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I don't think I need to answer that." 

"Indeed. You'd best get comfortable, since you're going to be here for a while." He looked at the beeping machine to her left, and chuckled. "So it would seem that your heart isn't as calm as your face belies. You can't hide your feelings here, Esper. There are too many machines that delve into your very being, and they can nullify any masks you may put on." He turned his back to her as two men in long white coats entered the room. Terra had seen men like this long ago in Vector. Long, white coats always indicated a magicite lab technician there, and the things they did to Espers were horrific. 

Shadow stopped and looked over his shoulder as his men approached her. "Behave for my technicians, Esper. The better you behave, the less...stressful things become for you. I would say that I'd make things less painful, but that is entirely impossible." He then left the room, leaving the two alone with her. 

The heart monitor to Terra's left increased the rate of its beeping sound as the two technicians got to work. 

* * * 

The Cave of the Phoenix was still hard to access, even via airship. Setzer bumped Sabin away from the wheel once they reached the appropriate mountain range, and did some expert maneuvering through the twisted, spire-like peaks. Many of the mountains came seriously close to the Falcon's flanks, but her gambler pilot flew her confidently, and brought her to a low hover at the cave entrance. Locke threw down the rope ladder, and looked at the group gathered at the aft deck. 

"All right, I'm sure you all remember how this works. There's some traps in this place that have to be disarmed from somewhere else. We'll split up, like you did when you had to find me in this hellhole, and make our way towards the altar over the main lava pit. I'll lead one group, and Celes will lead another. We both know the way." He turned to Gau, who was raising his hand politely. "Yes?" 

The boy smoothed back his long hair a bit nervously, as if he felt he was asking a stupid question. "Um, how did you make it through here the first time? That is...if the traps have to be set off from different locations, how did you manage to set them off?" 

Locke shrugged. "Easy. Xain lead me through the one way, and Django went through the other." 

Gau frowned. "All by himself? With those undead things living down there?" 

"You don't know Django." The thief looked at the group. "Are we set?" There was an assortment of nods and affirmative sounds. "Good. Let's boogie." 

Cyan and Strago remained on board the Falcon, while the rest of them descended the rope ladder. Mog ignored the ladder and simply flew down, his stubby moogle wings capable of short flights. Edgar lit two lanterns, and extended one towards Locke. "Here. I know that it'll be brighter where the lava is, but I doubt you'll be able to see otherwise." 

The treasure hunter accepted the lantern, and handed it to Setzer. "You're taller than me. Hold this." 

Setzer took it with a smirk. "No comment." He then went into the cave with Locke, Relm and Gau in tow. Edgar held his lantern high as he, Celes, Mog and Sabin went into the dim entrance. 

Without hesitating, Locke went to an obvious pressure plate on the floor, and stepped on it. There was a shuddering sound, and a large hunk of the rock wall swung inward, revealing a passage. "Get on your way, already. I don't want to stand here all day." 

Celes stuck her tongue out at him, and went through the door with her group. They found the appropriate pressure plate, and opened a doorway for Locke's group. In turns, they went to certain pressure plates in the warm floor, and caused doorways to open, or stairways to appear, or even traps like spikes to disappear. The whole process took a while, and some of them began to get testy, from the intense heat if anything at all. 

Celes wiped at her brow as the Figaro brothers simultaneously stepped on a plate to create a stairway for Locke's group. Both brothers were stripped to the waist, likewise the men across the way in the next group. The ex-general looked at their bare torsos with distaste. 

"Lucky bastards." she panted. "At least you can take your shirts off." 

Edgar smirked. "Well, if you really want to, nobody's stopping you..." 

"Edgar Roni Figaro, I heard that! When you get your royal ass over here, I'm gonna kick it seven ways from Wednesday!" Locke angrily waved his bare arms in the air from across the chasm that separated the two groups. Edgar waved his arms and mimicked the thief, while his brother laughed. Locke did not laugh. "If you think you're funny...." 

"Oh, but I am funny. See? Even your girlfriend is laughing." 

The rock bridge that spanned the chasm fell into place from the ceiling at that moment, and Locke sprung on the opportunity, running across the new pathway at near-top speed. Edgar managed to blink once before the thief rammed into him. The result was a domino effect, which knocked both men over, and into Sabin, who fell onto his backside. Celes did not fall over, but did nearly collapse in helpless laughter. Gau laughed as well, but Relm just rolled her eyes. 

"Ku.....po.....po...." Mog leaned against his pike wearily. "Male or female, at least you guys can take clothing off. I can't remove my sub-arctic fur. Can we PLEASE get this over with, before I boil in my own hide? I'm dyin' here!" With that comment, there was no more horseplay, and they continued to progress to the center of the volcano. 

They all reached the particular room where the Phoenix Magicite once was housed, but found it empty. Sabin almost pouted, and scratched at his sweaty hair. "You're kidding me....all that long walk through a damn volcano, and there's nobody here?" 

There was a low, animalistic growl from somewhere in the cavern. Immediately they went for their weapons. 

Relm made a rueful face. "Oh sure, jinx us while you're at it. Don't you know that things only happen when you say something dumb about them?" 

Sabin smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. In any case, it only sounds like one, and there are eight of us." 

Locke twirled a dirk in his hand, and put it back into his boot. "Don't bother, it's only Django. At least I think it's him." 

"It's me." A low male voice said. It was quiet, almost like a growl, but had something of a refined quality to it. "I won't harm you....unless you're planning something funny." 

Setzer held up his lantern, his pale chest glistening with sweat. "Nothing funny, Mr. Django. We just want to see Xain." 

There was a strange sound, almost like laughter mixed with a panther's growl. "Mr. Django. That's amusing." The voice seemed to come from everywhere, every word bouncing off the sides of the dome-shaped cavern. "Why do you need Xain?" 

Edgar looked around, trying to find the mysterious "Django". "It concerns Cosmo Tower, and the cult residing in it. The cult has one of our friends, so we want to wipe them out and get her back. I think Xain might be interested in this." 

"Fine, then." The voice came from directly behind the group. They all whirled around to face the speaker. A large hyena-like beast stood there, regarding them with intelligent gold eyes. It had gray fur and a silver mane, but the end of its tail was peculiar. There appeared to be a bit of oddly-colored blue flame at the tip of its long, slender tail, but the creature seemed unconcerned. It had a large tattoo on its left shoulder, and several on its feline face. It opened its mouth to speak again, showing sharp carnivore teeth. "I'll fetch Xain, then." He fixed his golden eyes on Locke. "Mr. Cole. Good to see you again. How goes your interesting stealing business?" 

For once, Locke didn't pounce on the whole "treasure hunter" fiasco. "Fair, I suppose. It's good to see you too, Django. As friendly as ever, aren't you?" 

"If you lived in a humid volcano instead of a nice dry desert, would you be happy?" The large beast padded past the group, pausing momentarily to sniff Gau for some reason. It then went to the altar that once held the magicite, and pushed at a panel in its side with a forepaw. A grinding sound was heard, and the large altar lowered down to floor level. The gray animal eyed them as he stepped onto the platform. "Remain here." The altar raised up, pushing its rider to a rectangular hole in the ceiling, where it fit in perfectly. The altar remained in the dome-shaped ceiling, the large basalt pillar of it stretching up nearly a hundred feet. It remained there for several minutes, which seemed somewhat eternal from the intense heat from the lava pits below. The shuddering grinding was heard again, and the platform lowered itself back down. Django sat on his haunches to make room for a woman in robes, who fixed her eyes on the group as the altar placed itself back into its original position. 

Sabin grunted. "Who's she? Django...you said you'd get us Xain." 

The "woman" frowned, and spoke in an obviously male baritone. "I am Xain..." Django chuckled, and the prince glared at the beast. "Shut up...you know I hate it when people think I'm female." 

The gray beast continued to chuckle as he jumped off the altar. "Sorry....it's just I never get tired of that joke." 

Xain stepped towards the group, and at a closer range, it was a bit more evident that he was a man, if ever slightly. His soft, effeminate features, pale skin, and long red-black hair distinctly threw off his whole male being. However, he was far too tall to be a woman, just as his hands were too large as well. He flipped the long black braid that was draped over one shoulder, sending it behind his back, and nodded to Locke. "Mr. Cole...a pleasure as always. I'm surprised to see you here." 

"Same here, Xain. We need to talk." 

"Indeed. Django told me about your plans. Do you really think you can eliminate that cult?" 

"We're hoping." Edgar said, extending a hand. "King Edgar of Figaro." he said as the effeminate man shook it formally. "I think a proper explanation is needed here...in quite possibly a cooler environment. We can get into more of formal introductions elsewhere, if that's fine with you." 

"More than fine. I, for one, am somewhat used to this blasted heat...but I'm sure my associate here wishes to be elsewhere." 

"Oh, and do I ever wish..." Django said with a swish of his flame-tipped tail. 

"Xain, I have an airship outside, which I'm sure is more than suitable." Setzer bowed slightly, which looked strange considering his thin, shirtless frame. "I'm Setzer Gabianni, owner of the Falcon." 

"Yes, I've heard of you, gambler. Please, let's go to the ship. My personal chambers above are somewhat cooler than this room, and I'm already feeling the heat." 

Relm eyed his gold and red robes, which seemed to have something of a religious significance to them. "With that outfit? No wonder." 

* * * 

Terra rubbed at her wrists as the door to her room slammed behind her. She had no idea how long she had been strapped to that table, but it seemed like ages. They had taken plenty of blood from her, and given her little to eat and drink, so she felt somewhat faint as she sat down on the small cot. At least they had given her back her clothing, if anything. If they meant to demean her, they were doing a good job; however, Terra knew that if she showed any sign of weakness, they would overtake her immediately. 

She looked about the small room, which was nothing spectacular. More of those strange fluorescent lights buzzed softly overhead, giving the cell a somewhat cold and harsh lighting. There was something of a toilet in the corner, and a small sink, but no mirror. She didn't even have a window, just a small sliding panel in the door. Obviously, that panel was put in for them to watch her. There was also a small table along the wall opposite to the cot, and a tray with what appeared to be sustenance sat upon it. 

Terra wearily got up, pulled the small table, tray and all, over to the cot, and sat down to eat. Might as well make do with what she had; she had no idea how long she was going to be here. Hopefully, her friends were on their way. 

* * * 

"I see." Xain said with a nod. "I can understand why this friend is so dear to you." 

"She's the one that really brought us together." Celes said. "If it wasn't for Terra, most of us wouldn't know each other. Not only that, but I imagine that Kefka would still be in power." 

Xain fixed his eyes on her. "And how do you know he still isn't?" The prince rose and walked over to one of the large windows that was in the large room that once was Daryl's sunroom. It now served as Setzer's office and drafting room. Tubes of blueprints for various machines, mostly airships, filled the shelves lining the walls. Books were scattered between the blueprints, some with scraps of paper sticking out between the pages. Despite the addition of the books, blueprints and a large drafting table, Setzer had changed little about the original design, and many comfortable chairs situated around a low oak table took up most of the room. Locke, Celes, Setzer, Strago and Edgar sat in the chairs. Relm stood off to the side with her sketchbook, obviously drawing Django, who calmly sat next to the chair that Xain was occupying moments before. 

The prince of Jidoor continued to stare out the window. "Kefka might be dead, but the ideals, insanity, and pure malice that laid behind him still exists. It still exists in the cult. Like most insane organizations, when their leader is gone, they'll attempt to compensate for it in any way possible. They may have a new leader that showed similar traits to Kefka, so in him the cult found a way to survive. No, not survive; flourish." He turned back to them. "Naturally, one would think that eliminating the leader would solve the problem...however, this is not the case. That would be the last step." 

Setzer leaned forward in his chair. "First? Why not peg him first?" 

Xain sighed. "It's simple: start out with the cult members without ranks...mere toadies. Then, work up to the men of importance. A leader isn't strong if he can't lead anybody." He paced a bit, his long braid trailing behind him. "From what you've told me, your plan is fairly solid. That is, it would be solid if you were merely going to save Terra and eradicate the leader of the cult. However, I think the wisest decision is to slightly alter the plan. One or two people go to find Terra, while the rest of us handle the cult, one by one." 

Django looked up at his friend. "What do you mean 'us'?" 

The effeminate prince smiled down at the hyena-like beast. "Didn't you know? We're going with, to help them. Gather your tribe, Django. I think we'll be needing them." 

* * * 

The next morning, Terra awoke from a deep sleep abruptly as somebody shook her roughly. It seemed as if she had just gone to sleep, and here she was...awake again. Damn the luck. 

"Get up, witch." Caezin said gruffly. "The Master needs to talk to you." 

Terra blinked blearily at him, trying to get some of the sleep out of her eyes. "Master? What does Shadow want with me, anyway?" 

Caezin growled low and backhanded her, sending her reeling back onto her cot. "You have no permission to speak ANY of The Master's names....even his old ones. He is your master now, and you'll give him respect. You'd better give him respect, bitch, or things will be very unpleasant for you." 

She sat up, rubbing at her cheek. "Things already are unpleasant for me, in case you didn't notice. I don't think it really matters what I think or do at this point, so I refuse to give anybody respect here." She glared up at him as he raised his hand for a second swipe at her. "So what....you'll hit me again, Caezin? For being defiant? What, are you so small that you'd pick on those who are seemingly helpless to make yourself feel bigger?" 

The response was another slap. This one brought tears of pain and a salty taste to Terra's mouth. She grabbed at her jaw out of an instinctive reflex from the pain, and he laughed low. "Who said that I was small, Esper? If I can bend you to my will, even from a mere slap, it shows that I have more will and power than you can ever posses." 

The half-breed didn't look up at him, but dully stared ahead with her green eyes, gritting her teeth. "You can't bend me...or break me. I won't be broken." 

Caezin roughly drew her up to her feet, pulling her face close to his as he leered. His acrid breath invaded her nostrils, no doubt from the half-rotten teeth contained in his malicious smile. "But that is where you're wrong, my dear. You will be broken, even if it half kills you." He then shoved her from her small cell, and marched her down the hall, towards that monster of a staircase. 

Terra held her head high, still not willing to submit. She couldn't submit. She wouldn't be broken. 

* * * 

"Let me get this straight one more time, brother..." Sabin said, eyeing Edgar with a careful eye. "...you want me and the others to go wipe out this cult, and you and one other person will sniff out and get Terra." 

"Correct." 

"Why can't I go with you, then?" 

"Because your skills don't lie in being stealthy, Sabin. I can very well sneak in with one other person, but you're as large and noisy as an ox. I'm sorry...but you'll have to go with Xain's group." 

Sabin sighed, rubbing at his face wearily. "Big brother...what if something happens to you? I'd totally hate myself if anything did." 

"I'll be fine. You know I can hold my own. Besides, all this material that Celes gave me will protect me." 

Celes frowned. "Sorry to interrupt, but can I ask something?" 

The larger Figaro brother turned, done rubbing his face. "Yeah?" 

She looked at them critically. "You two are twins, right?" 

"Yes, we are." Edgar said. "You've known this for a while, remember?" 

"Just verifying something. If you two are twins, why does Sabin always call you "big brother"?" 

Sabin laughed. "Two reasons. One: Edgar is older by seven minutes. Two, he was always bigger than I was, until we were about sixteen." 

Locke looked up from the material orb he was examining. "Didn't you know, Celes? There's always a dominant twin...even when the twins are significantly different. Even though Sabin's much larger than Edgar, Edgar probably beat him up a lot when they were kids." 

"Gee, thanks." Sabin said dryly. He then frowned. "I still owe you for that, brother." 

"Sure, beat up a king, Sabin. That'll look good." Edgar smiled. "Besides, you were always too damn soft towards family. You'd probably hit me once and then start bawling an apology." 

Setzer rolled his eyes. "Look...I didn't get up at the friggin' crack of dawn to discuss brotherly love between the Figaros. We have to finalize everything and get moving. I don't know what they're doing to Terra in there, but I DO know that I want her the hell out." He turned to Edgar. "I'll be going with you." 

The king blinked, surprised. He, like anybody else, never really got along with Setzer. Mainly because Setzer was always an ass. "Uh, fine with me. I would prefer Locke, but..." he left it hanging. 

Locke set his material orb down. "Nope, I'm going with Celes. If I don't, she'll beat me later." 

Edgar gave a light smile. "Cole, you are completely whipped..." 

"Me? We're going to rescue your goddamn love interest, aren't we?" There was an uneasy silence. "Well...aren't we?" He grunted. "Anyway, I think you and Setzer will be fine as one group. You're both good when it comes to trouble...and you both can run like hell, too." 

Xain looked down at Django. "You'll go with them as well." 

"Wonderful." The gray beast flicked his tail, but gave no other real response to indicate his displeasure. 

The Jidoorian noble sighed at his companion's reaction, and then looked up at the others. "I will bring several of Django's tribe members with the main group. All are strong, well-trained warriors, and I'm sure that they will prove themselves several times on this excursion. The stratagem for this are simple: we will allow Edgar, Django and Setzer to travel up towards the top of the tower, where Terra is undoubtedly being held. After a good half and hour after they enter the tower, the first wave of magic-users goes. That would be all of us, with our material. Right after that is the wave of fighters, some of my men I have called from Jidoor. They once lived in Cosmo Tower as well, and would be more than pleased to get their proper home back. Finally, the members of Django's tribe will be intermixed with the two waves assaulting the tower. A few will travel with the material group, for back-up; others will go with the group of my men, and finish off any who were weakened by the magic group. 

"As sad as it may seem, we shall show no mercy, my friends. All who have willingly joined this cult are insane, and their judgment clouded by the cult's twisted ideals. Trust me when I assure you that giving them death will be granting them a favor. My uncle has sent us supplies along with the men from Jidoor, so there will be hopefully plenty of healing and magical potions to go around. This way, healing magic can be conserved for more major injuries, and exhausted magic-users can be refreshed and made ready to use magic again. Any questions?" 

Celes looked at Xain. "One. What happens when we encounter the leader, or at least the high members of the cult below him?" 

Strago snorted. "Those "below him" would be people like Caezin. They basically don't have any guts or power, unless their boss backs them up. I think they'd be easy to deal with, considering our numbers." 

Xain nodded. "Yes. As for the leader, I figure that even though he most likely is strong, our group is stronger. I know that Celes, Relm and Strago are all strong mages, as am I. With the others in our group, we can easily dispatch this so-called "leader"." 

Edgar looked at Setzer, then at the strange beast named Django. "I suppose we should get ready, since we're heading in first. Setzer, we should probably set a course for Cosmo Tower as soon as it gets dark. Until then, we should run through the plan one more time, to check for flaws." His expression was grim. "I seriously don't want to botch this up." 

* * * 

More wires. More blinking lights. More pain. 

A tear slid out of the corner of Terra's eye, unbidden. Luckily, the technician hovering over her with a metal device didn't see her. The pain he was causing with that small piece of metal was incredible, yet Terra didn't cry out. She flinched, naturally; she couldn't stop her instincts and reflexes. But she could control her urge to scream, to cry, to thrash her head from side to side. She promised herself that they wouldn't break her spirit, that they wouldn't rip apart and reshape her mind to their own design. Her soul and her mind were her own, and they were going to stay that way. 

Shadow watched many of the procedures with a dull expression. It wasn't as if he enjoyed her pain, although sometimes a glare from Terra would bring that unnatural smile to his lips. 

"What do you think when you look at me like that, Esper?" He said with a thin smile. "Do you wish to harm me? Kill me? Or merely let me feel the pain I know you're feeling right now." He shifted his weight, unfolding his slenderly muscled arms. "You can't hide it from me. If I can't see it in your eyes, I can see it through these devices." 

Another jab from the device. More pain. Another unwanted teardrop. 

"Why don't you cry out? You know you want to. You want to scream my name, curse who I am, do you not? Every time you feel an inch of pain on your bare flesh, you want to cry out, but yet you don't. You can't suppress it for long, Terra. Your human side won't let you." 

Her eyes narrowed at his use of her name. "You can poke, prod, cut, burn, or do whatever sick twisted things you want to do. It doesn't matter...I was a magitek soldier for the Empire, and the empire was less kind than you to a half-breed Esper. All the experiments that you ran on me have been run countless times before. What do you think you're going to accomplish?" She bit her lip as the technician touched the metal rod-like device to her underarm area. "You're just wasting your time..." It came out as a near-whisper, but the malice in her voice was very evident. 

The technician sighed, and looked up. "It's not working, my Master. She won't transform." 

Shadow took a few steps forward, and looked down at the technician's findings that lay on the small table in the room. "This is ridiculous...I myself have seen her transform when she was provoked. Why won't she now?" 

So that was it. It wasn't merely Terra they wanted; they wanted the wild, pink-furred Esper that laid inside if Terra. She rolled her head to stare at the ceiling, and sighed. "Because the Esper half of me is dead. Everybody knows that the Espers, along with magic, disappeared. As I said before, you're just waiting your time." 

The ninja stepped to the side of the table, and looked down at her. "You couldn't be any further wrong. Magic is very alive, in the form of lifestream...which becomes material. As for Espers..." He snapped his fingers, and the technician came over. "Bring it." 

The other man nodded, and left the room for a moment, then re-entered with a sealed jar of already-solidifying lifestream, lifestream in its makoro form. He set it down on the table, and then pulled out what appeared to be an IV with an empty bag. 

"Espers are in their own world, which I'm sure you know. They no longer travel among us, save for you." As he talked, the man in the white lab coat jabbed the needle into Terra's arm, drawing blood into the attached plastic bag. The blood had a slightly orange cast to it. "The only way to call the Espers out is to have one of their own kind find one of the many entrances to their world, and ask them to open it." 

Terra watched her blood fill the bag, fascinated. "There was only one gate, and it's blocked, forever." 

Shadow gave that small, emotionless smile again. "No, there are many ways to the Esper realm, which is nothing more than a pocket of existence just outside our own; another dimention, only accessible by either a formal gate, like the one that you say was blocked...or by small rifts in the fabric of time and space between our two dimensions. I know this much, I've seen it in my past form." He watched as the technician took the needle out of Terra's arm, ignoring the small trickle of blood that made her way down her elbow from the lack of pressure on the pinprick. The white-coated man took the bag of blood, and hooked the nozzle of the bag's tube over a small hole in the sealed jar of makoro. Terra's blood dripped into the old lifestream, causing the substance to hiss and writhe, almost like a snake. When the blood was in the vial, the technician swirled it around to fully mix the two components together. The result was not a brown-tinged substance that lay on the bottom of the jar; instead, the blood and the makoro's joining caused the substance to solidify at an amazing rate, forming a small crystalline orb at the bottom of the glass container. The orb of material rolled inside the jar, giving off a faint glow, but not the usual green glow of material or even lifestream. 

The glow was red. Like blood. 

* * *


	10. Chapter 9 -- The Seige

"Rebirth" -- Chapter Nine **CHAPTER NINE  
The Siege** Cosmo Tower, also known as the Cult of Kefka Tower, loomed in the purplish-blue glow of dusk. Lights winked on in various levels on the enormous structure, the lit windows seeming like cruel, heartless eyes. Even the golden marble and deep mahogany of the tower seemed somehow intimidating, and malevolent. 

Xain sighed. It wasn't always that way, it wasn't his intent to create a haven for ugliness and evil. He always heard about the legendary Tower of Babil, how it stretched from the realm of the dwarves below, to the overworld where humans lived, and then soared up towards the sky, almost reaching out to the Lunarians living there. It was a structure that signified peace, hope, and love between all peoples. While Cosmo Tower wasn't even close to the size of the Tower of Babil, the concept and ideals behind it still lay there. Cosmo Tower was meant to become a place of peace, a place of learning. All peoples were welcome, and none would be turned away from its gilded doors. 

And neither would the phoenix. Xain closed his eyes momentarily, remembering the image he had when he was an adolescent. He, like many nobles, was hated by the poorer people in Jidoor, and at that time these poorer residents had yet to move away and form Zozo. Xain never did anything to the poor people; he in fact felt pity for them. That didn't stop them from lynching him one night. They performed all forms of horror on his tortured body, and merely laughed at his pleas to be released. Then Xain remembered giving up, letting the darkness close around him, and giving his last breath. He remembered walking through the deathly still forest that lead to the phantom train of the dead, he remembered feeling sorry for himself. Then there was a flash of brilliant light before him, and Xain's world reformed itself before his very eyes. He didn't find himself in that forest: he was back in Jidoor, surrounded by red, gold, and amber flames. The flames didn't burn him, but rather comforted him. 

"What...is this?" he heard himself say. He remembered the fear in his stomach, but also the strange feeling of love that seemed to emulate from the flames. 

_You are freed, my child. It is not your time to venture to the underworld yet._ The voice was soothing, calm, and decidedly female. Xain turned to see a bird in mid-air before him, its fiery red pinions flapping lazily, as if it didn't even need them to suspend itself. _I have chosen you, Xain of Jidoor,_ the phoenix said within the vaults of his mind, her gentle voice rushing over him like a warm blanket. _For in return of this deed I have granted you today, I only ask that you follow me._

Xain remembered weeping. Xain remembered pledging himself to the fiery being, without question. And Xain remembered the blessing that the bird had given him, she naming him his priest, follower, and avatar. It was then that Xain knew that the three goddesses were the false way, and the true way was the way of the phoenix. And through the phoenix, he knew he would finally find who he was... 

"Xain?" 

The prince's long-lashed eyes snapped open, bringing him back from his memory. He turned to see Celes standing there. She regarded him with a questioning expression that was mixed with concern. Briefly, Xain recalled how close they had once been...but that was past now. She had Locke, and Xain had...Xain had his own duties. 

"I'm fine." he said. "I was just thinking of things...just things that happened." He drew a breath, and looked up at the tower. "I was thinking that this wasn't what I wanted when I built this place." _No, I built it for you, Celes..._

The ex-general sighed. "Yeah...I know. It's really a shame. But don't worry." She took his hand in her own, and gave it a reasurring squeeze. "We're here to change all that." Her beautiful baby-blue eyes flitted to the side, hearing somebody calling her name. "Oh, Locke needs me for something. I'll talk to you later." She smiled, and then turned to run back to the man she now loved, her golden hair flying behind her. Xain watched her go, his face not displaying his jealousy. But it was jealousy towards a friend, a jealousy he would never mention. 

Xain sighed, and turned back to stare at the tower once more. 

* * * 

"All set?" Locke said. 

"Yeah...Xain seems to be a little mopey, though." Celes frowned. "I can't say I blame him...his tower's been misused." 

The treasure hunter scratched at his sandy-colored hair. "Yeah. But I think when this is all done, he'll be happy. He can open his tower to people, like he planned, and continue doing his phoenix thing." He looked over to where Edgar, Setzer, and Django stood off to the side, discussing their plans of attack. Behind them all, soldiers from Jidoor milled about in the brush, behind boulders, in caves...anywhere that would hide their number. Locke sighed. "I think those three are ready. I just hope they don't do something stupid." 

Celes laughed. "Edgar? And Setzer? Stupid?" 

He frowned. "It's not funny, Celes. Both Edgar and Setzer are love-starved jackasses that are on a mission to save the woman that they both seriously feel something for. I know if it was you up there in that tower, I'd do some pretty rash things to get to you." He sighed. "At least Django's there with them." He kissed her. "I'm going to tell them to get their asses moving. Why don't you get over with the other mages and form a marching order?" 

She nodded, and walked over to where Strago and Relm were. Locke watched her go, and then headed to the three that were to be Terra's rescue party. "You guys ready?" 

Django snorted, flicking his blue-flamed tail. "I've been ready. It's just these two keep taking their sweet time." 

Setzer glowered down at the feline-like creature. "That place is swarming with baddies, kitty cat. We don't want to be toasted by the time we reach the second floor." 

Django laid his pointed ears flat and growled at the gambler, but Edgar stepped between the two. "Knock it off...we have business to attend to, remember?" He turned to Locke. "We're all set, Cole. Go tell the others that we're moving out, and give us a good twenty minutes before you start. Got that? We need AT LEAST twenty minutes." 

"Okay okay, sheesh...I'm not stupid." 

"No, but I know for one that you tend to jump the gun...a condition that seems to affect people around you." The king of Figaro sighed. "Let's go." He turned and ran towards the tower, Setzer and Django close behind. Locke watched them go, and then headed back over to his group. 

* * * 

Terra slid on the gravel of the roof, gaining several painful brushburns in the process. But she didn't cry out, or flinch; she merely stood up to face Caezin and Shadow. Caezin merely leered at her. "Behave." 

She glared at him with her grass-green eyes, but said nothing. Her hair fell into her face in ragged emerald coils, partially veiling her expression of hatred. At this point, Terra didn't bother hiding her hate for Caezin. Shadow was another matter, but Caezin was the one who oversaw the way she was treated for the most part...not to mention the one who treated her that way. 

Shadow stared up at the small amount of stars in the early evening sky, seemingly oblivious to the staring match between Caezin and Terra. Then he looked straight at the half-Esper. "It's time. Are you ready?" 

She didn't respond. 

Shadow sighed. "Very well." He held up the red material, the material that contained Terra's blood, and fixed his now-blue eyes on it. "Meltdown Tempest." Instead of waves of green shooting out from his feet, multi-colored orbs of light flew about him, gathering to his slim form with a brilliant flash of light. 

Terra screamed, and held at her head. What was happening to her? She felt pain rip through her body, and then suddenly felt stronger and more sure of herself. She screamed again, but it wasn't a woman's scream...it was the scream of something else. Something wild, something with immense power. 

Her clothing vanished even as white fur formed on her slender limbs, limbs that grew more muscular. She felt herself rise into the air as she clutched at her chest, thrashing her head from side to side as her green hair shifted to shades of pink and magenta. Sharp teeth flashed from her gaping mouth, and then the Esper stopped her useless struggle. She stared at Shadow coldly with glowing purple eyes, but that faint expression was the only hint of the old Terra that lay within the beast. 

Caezin stepped back, gasping. "M-Master...she's..." 

"I always told you, Caezin. She is an Esper..." He smiled a thin smile. "MY Esper." 

"What will you do with her?" 

Shadow laughed then, a chilling, malicious laugh that bordered on the fringe of insanity. Even under his control, Terra shuddered at the laugh, having heard it before, or something like it. She knew the laugh, the laugh that haunted her dreams, the laugh that reminded her of her pain while in the service of the Empire. It was different somehow, having touches of Shadow's being on it, but the core of it was the same. 

It was Kefka's laugh. 

Caezin flinched visibly at the cold laugh, and then fled from the tower, stricken by fear from the sound of it. Terra remained hovering, held there by the power of the red material. She couldn't move, let alone speak. But she could use the one thing that all Espers had. 

_You are Kefka..._ Her thought said in Shadow's mind. 

He stopped his laughter, and regarded her. "Yes, and no. Kefka was merely yet another vessel...as all are vessels. Before Kefka, it was Ex-Death. Before then, it was Zerumus. And so it went...back into the vaults of our history. 

_I don't understand._

"No, you don't. But be assured...this spirit that I house is similar to the one that you house. We are reborn; just us, Esper. I, to cause pain to the world; and you, along with your friends, to heal and protect it. It is the destiny of us, for as long as this planet lives." 

_Why do you share this with me?_

He narrowed his eyes. Light blue eyes, like Kefka's. Like Ex-Death's were. Like all those before him. "Because you belong to me. When we join, you will know this anyway. I can at least grant you a few favors for your service." 

_Then..._ the Esper's purple eyes flashed, glowing brighter. _...release me._

"You know I can't do that. Why would you even ask such a thing after I've gone through all this trouble to get you where I want you?" He took a few steps towards her. "I think we've had a long enough chat for today." Shadow raised the material, and it flared red. Terra shrieked in pain as every nerve felt as if it was being ripped apart. 

He regarded her coolly. "There are forces gathering below us, at the foot of the tower. Go. Destroy them." 

* * * 

Locke glanced at his pocketwatch. Actually, it was Setzer's pocketwatch, but he doubted that the gambler was going to miss it at the moment. Nearly twenty minutes. Nearly time. He turned to Celes. "I think we're just about ready to start." 

Celes nodded, and turned to look at the troops, who were being briefed by Xain and Sabin. Members of Django's tribe were mixed in with the brown-garbed members of the Jidoorian army. These poor men...who knew what fate they'd meet? Celes sighed, trying not to think about it, and turned to say something to Locke. 

She was interrupted by a inhuman shriek, emulating from somewhere at the top of the tower. Celes and Locke exchanged a look. They had heard that scream somewhere before... 

Relm ran up to them, yelling frantically. "Guys! I hear her! I can hear her!" 

Locke looked at the girl. "Who?" 

There was another scream at the top of the tower. "Terra! I can hear her thoughts! She's...she's an Esper!" Interceptor, who had run up with Relm, whined. 

Xain turned, hearing this. "Impossible. Terra's Esper side is dead, or so you've said." 

Relm made a rueful face. "It's true! I can hear her! She's talking to...to somebody. Somebody like Kefka...but it's not Kefka." She made a whimpering sound, seemingly in pain. "I just don't understand." 

Another scream, an animalistic shriek with undertones of self-loathing. And it was coming closer. 

"Look!" One of the members of the army pointed with a shaky finger. Something white and pink was falling...no, flying down the side of the tower, giving off a faint trail of white as it streaked down towards them at an incredible speed. 

Locke's brown eyes widened. "No...it can't be her..." 

Celes flung herself on him. "Get down!!" 

Suddenly, the Esper soared over their heads, the wake of the speed of her flight causing a booming sound and a fierce, crushing rush of air. There was confusion as the army and the others were bowled over, pushed down by the sonic boom. A high-pitched wailing was heard over the confusion, a wail mixed with a scream. Terra rose above the group, taking in the surroundings with cold, purple eyes. 

Locke's voice caught in his throat. "What...do we do? We can't harm her..." 

Xain turned to Locke. "We have to stop her somehow! MEN!" he roared at the troops. "OPEN FIRE!" 

The ranks of men raised crossbows and javelins, and let loose a deadly rain upon the Esper. Locke heard himself cry out, but couldn't move, Celes and somebody else pinning him down. 

The missiles stopped and fell even before they reached the Esper. She regarded them with her pupiless eyes. The crossbow fire stopped, and the crowd fell into a hush, stunned. 

Terra raised her arms above her head. 

Then she flashed red. "Merton." 

A hot breeze, like that from off the desert, came wafting into the valley to wash over the army. It changed from a warm breeze to a scorching wind, worse than the heat felt inside the Cave of the Phoenix. Worse than any fire spell. It continued to flow around the army as they screamed in pain, the cosmo beasts giving animalistic screams of fury. 

Celes gasped in pain next to Locke. He could feel it himself, but barely recognized it as pain. His mind was too numb, he almost couldn't feel the fiery heat burn in his lungs. He lifted his face to look at Terra. 

The Esper seemed unconcerned, unaffected by the fire. Why? Terra was always harmed by fire before. She fixed her unblinking eyes on him, her face unreadable, but yet... 

There were tears coursing down the white-furred face. 

Celes rose up slowly, enduring the pain of the Merton spell. "Terra...why?" 

_It's not my idea. It's only my action. I do as I'm commanded._ The Esper's thought rang out in their minds clear and true even as she cast another Merton spell, doubling their agony. 

The Ex-general cried out, holding at her sides. "I...can't let..." She slowly drew her sword, dragging her feet as she stepped towards the Esper, who hovered only a few feet above the ground. 

_I'm sorry, Celes, everybody. But you can't win this fight. Go away before I'm forced to kill you._

Celes continued her advance, her face contorted into a look of pain and determination. She held her gold-hilted sword in her hand as she walked. 

_I don't want to do this, Celes. Stop._ There was a note of urgency in the Esper's thought. 

The honey-haired woman shook her head even as the heat singed her pale skin. "I...won't...let..." 

_Very well._ Terra raised her clawed hands. "Merton." 

"NO!" Celes raised up her sword high, flashing a cold blue color as mystical energy ran up and down her body, into the weapon. As the Merton spell came in as a massive wave of fire, it swirled, and directed itself to her. It spun around her like a maelstrom, and formed a funnel as the sword siphoned it into itself, and the woman bearing it. The spell dissipated, leaving the army surrounding the two women stunned, but free from its affects. 

_I didn't expect this._

Celes fixed her blue eyes on Terra's pupiless ones. "Neither did we. Please Terra, don't do this. Nobody wants to fight you." 

_That's too bad...I'm sorry._ Terra summoned forth yet another Merton spell. 

Celes held her sword aloft again, flashing blue as she cast runic once more. Once again, the sword absorbed the energy and power of the spell. 

Terra screamed, fangs flashing in the silver moonlight. _Master...please! I tried!_

Relm's face went pale as she stood on shaky feet. So that's what it was...now she knew what was happening. Terra was being controlled by not only a Kefka substitute, but the next incarnation of him. Everything else she gleaned from the Esper's thoughts was a jumbled mix of images, and could explain nothing. 

The girl took a step towards where Terra hovered, and sent her thought out. _Stop._ It wasn't a request. 

The Esper writhed in pain and screamed, apparently being commanded by two people at once. _Please...leave me alone!_

_No. Terra, stop. Return to the top. We will save you._ Relm's thought was commanding, even stronger than the one compelling Terra to attack. 

Terra's shoulders slumped. _He will...hurt me. Again. I can't take it anymore._

_Yes, you can. Return. Go back. I will be with you in your mind._

Terra screamed, holding at her head, and then she shot up towards the top of the tower, spiraling up like a corkscrew, leaving a trail of sparkling white behind her. 

Relm sighed wearily. "We'd better get moving. Her Master knows we're here." 

* * * 

Django disposed of yet another sentry with ease. It didn't take much...just a quick bite to the throat to crush the jugular and the windpipe. He let the dead man slip from his jaws, watching as the blue-faced body slumped to the floor. Behind him, Edgar rained arrows on the other guards with the Autocrossbow, killing them nearly instantly. 

As soon as the obstacle was removed, Setzer coolly stepped over the bodies, unconcerned. They had gone up at least fifty floors at this point, although Setzer had lost count at somewhere near thirty. Surprisingly, they had made it this far without a hitch; Django's knowledge of the tower led them through less-traveled passageways and hidden hallways, leaving them to roam undetected. Now, they were out in a main hall, where occasionally guards or cult members would run past frantically. Usually, they let them go, but these particular guards they just killed were standing in front of the detention block. 

Edgar took a key off one of the bodies, and after a few attempts, managed to open the door to the detention area. The three slipped into the area, dragging the bodies with them. After throwing them into an empty cell, they shut the door behind them, and looked around. 

Django sniffed. "I don't smell anything female here." He padded down the hall, glancing into each cell by standing on his hind paws. The two men accompanying him also looked into the cells, but didn't see anything. 

Setzer kicked the wall in frustration. "This is so goddamn stupid. Why the hell wouldn't you keep a prisoner in your prison?" 

Edgar opened another door, and then read what was on the door. "This is why..." 

Django looked up at the clipboard hanging there. "Looks like medical records or something." He sniffed. "This room smells like..." 

"Terra." Edgar said, walking in. Laid on the bed wasn't the woman herself, but her gauzy cloak, her hair clip, and her jewelry. The king of Figaro slowly stepped towards the items, reaching out to pick up the necklace laying there. Maduin's pendant shone in the cold glow of the fluorescent lights. The king sighed, closing the pendant in one large hand, and bowed his head. 

"C'mon, Ed. We can't stay here..." Setzer put a hand on the king's shoulder. "We have to find her...apparently, she's been moved from here to a lab, and visa versa." 

Django continued to read the contents of the clipboard. "She's being held in lab 4, or so this says." He turned to look at the two men. "I know where that is. We'd better get moving." 

Edgar nodded, dropping Terra's belongings into a pocket, but then paused. He slipped Madiun's pendant around his neck, and then sighed. "All right, let's go." 

* * * 

Sabin blew away yet another cult member with Aurabolt. They were much weaker than he had expected, or maybe he was just getting haughty. Still, his friends didn't seem to have any problems disposing of them. Locke threw daggers like a madman, making the cult members fall down like cut grain. When he ran out of dirks and daggers, he drew his short sword, and caused just as much damage. 

Celes wasn't even bothering to use material. Last time they were here, magic was a must: physical attacks simply wouldn't work. Apparently, now that the cult was under "new management", the members here were like normal men. She watched as yet another fell under her sword, and turned to see if she could find any more to eliminate. Celes was normally a kind and gentle person, but when it came to battle, she was a soldier; she was cold, ruthless, and saw the world through red-fringed vision. 

Strago threw out his blue mage skill with ease. He still hadn't lost his touch, even after all this time. As Aquarake washed over a battalion of the cult's own personal guard, he turned and watched as his granddaughter control several cult members with her telepathy. Relm didn't seem concerned as she ordered the men to slaughter each other. 

Interceptor was easily holding his own, ripping out the throats of cult members and guards alike, his sharp fangs shining with their blood. Every once in a while, the dog would pause and look at Relm. The girl would nod in approval, and Interceptor would wag his whiplike tail gleefully. Then he would lunge to bite the neck of the next cult member. 

Xain ran up the stairs, his slender war sword bloodied. "Move! To the next level!" That was their cue to move on ahead, and let the troops below finish up the dirty work. They had modified their plans slightly, and now the members of Django's tribe were up ahead, ripping through the troops and causing chaos. It helped them a great deal; without a doubt, things would be moving much slower if the beasts hadn't run on ahead. 

The group fell back into their marching order: First Locke and Celes, then Sabin and Xain, then Relm and Strago. Gau, Cyan, and Mog were close behind, running up the stairs. 

"I'm getting to old for this..." Cyan muttered as they rounded yet another staircase landing. 

Gau smiled. "Father, I think you'll never grow to old for this." 

Cyan smiled, patting his adoptive son on the back. "I do believe thou art right, Gau. I could never give this up." 

Mog flew alongside them, his small purple wings a blur. "Yeah, ain't it great to get into action? I thought I was gonna collect dust for the rest of my life." He sighed. "Too bad Umaro had to miss it." 

"Where is thine yeti friend, Mog?" 

Mog made a face. "He has a girlfriend now. Kupo...now all he does is hang out with her. He has no time for me!" He frowned as Cyan and Gau laughed. "But it's true! All he wants to do is be with her." 

Cyan smiled. "Mog, someday thou wilst understand the meanings and workings of love. Then, thou shalt be in thine friend's place." 

"...yeah, right." the moogle grumbled. Suddenly, the line came to a halt. "...hey, what gives?" 

Relm turned to them. "Terra's nearby...and so is her master. And they sent a friend for us to play with." 

The moogle flew up to see over their heads. A man stood, in green and white robes, stock-still. Surrounding the man were wounded and dying cosmo beasts, the force sent up ahead. Mog gulped down the bile rising in his throat. "Uhh...this doesn't look good." 

The man leaned on his staff, the only part of his face seen was his gray eyes. "None shall pass." 

From behind the group, Mog squeaked something about the "...darn Black Knight...", but nobody paid attention to him. The senior cult member stepped forward, raising a hand. Interceptor growled from where he stood next to Relm. 

Celes stepped forwards too. "We WILL pass." 

"Very well." Waves of green energy shot out from around the cult-member's feet, ruffling his white robes, as a material orb in his staff blazed. "Comet2." 

Locke frowned. "What the hell spell is th--" He was cut short by a flaming rock that hit him square in the chest, knocking him backwards into Sabin. More red-hot rocks rained from the sky, pelting them and the wounded cosmo beasts laying around the cult member. Xain dodged a flaming rock, and raised a hand. "Give me fire!" 

Not waves of green, or even waves of red shot out from around the prince's feet. Instead, his entire body gave off a white aura that was intermixed with flames of blue and yellow. A large ball of fire formed on his hand, and then sailed towards the cult member's face. 

Who batted away the fireball with his staff, laughing. 

Xain's normal calm look broke into one of surprise, even as the cult member raised his staff. 

"Bolt3." He said. 

The rain of rocks stopped to be replaced with a rain of intense electricity from the heavens, pelting them. Relm screamed in pain, and clutched at her grandfather, the old mage having fallen to his knees. Locke reached out towards Celes, but the woman was already under the influence of the spell, her body spastically jerking. 

The spell stopped, leaving them stunned and wounded. They slowly stood, looking at the mage ahead of them coldly. 

"Leave in peace." He said. He didn't say it in a mocking tone, or a threatening tone. He merely said it. 

From the back of the group, Mog was heard grumbling. "...where is the stupid thing...leave in peace, my furry behind...." 

The man looked at them again, and hit them with another Bolt3 spell. "Leave in peace." he repeated. 

Mog flew up above them, ignoring the pain of the lightning. "Leave in peace he says! Yeah right!" He landed in front of Celes, only about ten feet away from their assailant. 

Locke blinked. "Mog, what the hell are you doing??" 

The moogle clutched something in one paw, while he held his spear in his other. "You want us to go away? I don't think so! I'm just about tired of all...this...stuff! Yeah!" He held up the relic he held in his hand. "So why don't you go away? Huh?" 

The cult member faltered, staring down at the moogle, his gray eyes wide with fear. 

Mog growled a squeaky growl. "You heard me! Leave in peace!" 

A ragged gasp came from the man in robes, as he backed away, dropping his staff. Mog took a step towards him, and the man backed away more, bumping into the railing of the balcony they stood upon. The moogle flared his wings, and growled again, waving what can only be described as a doodad in his tiny hand. The cult member screamed, and jumped off the balcony, screaming "nonononono..!" until he hit the ground far below. Mog watched him go. 

There was another faint thud below. Mog laughed. "Oh cool, they bounce!" 

Locke helped Celes up, while Relm and Sabin cast Cure spells on the group. Xain looked at the moogle. "What is that....thing?" 

Mog looked down at the small piece of what appeared to be obsidian, with weird beads glued to it. "Ohh, this thing? My charm. Heh...it's really cool. I just hold it up, and my enemies think I'm their worst fear. I dunno what that I guy thought I was, but he was really scared of it." 

Xain actually laughed. "Really? Well, keep holding it up, moogle...and take the lead. I think you can definitely help us on this siege." 

Mog saluted, drawing himself up to attention. "Sir, yes Sir, Mr. Xain! You can count on me!" He rubbed his paws together. "Finally...I get to have some fun!" 

* * * 

Lab 4 wasn't locked, strangely enough. Setzer found a lightswitch, and flicked it on. There was a flicker as the strange florescent lights lit, and then the room was bathed in their cold glow. The gambler looked up at the lights. 

"You know what? I like these things...maybe I ought to snag one, since they don't seem to get overly warm when--" 

"Never mind, Setzer." Edgar said. "We're here for a more important reason." He walked over to the cold metal table, examining the straps hanging from the sides of it. "Terra...what have they been doing to you?" He noticed a few drops of blood on the silver surface, and touched them. They were dry. "Apparently, they haven't been in here for a while." 

Django sniffed around the drops of blood. "You're right...nobody's been in this place for hours." He fixed his golden eyes on Setzer. "What do you have there?" 

Setzer was holding up a wide-mouthed flask. The inside was stained a fiery red. "Is this stuff inside blood...? Blood doesn't dry bright red..." 

Django sniffed at the container, and then sneezed. "Blood, and lifestream. It's the same blood that's on the table too...so it must be Terra's." He grunted and sat on his haunches. "I don't get it...why would you mix blood and lifestream?" 

Edgar paled at the thought. "I think I can come up with several reasons. Think about it...if lifestream is used to make material, and you have to seal a spell into makoro to make it into a material orb, what would happen if you mixed the blood of an Esper with makoro?" 

Setzer's eyes widened in understanding. "That's right....magitek technology used the essences of Espers...by taking it from their blood." 

"Exactly. So they must of tried to--or actually did--make a material orb that can control Terra." 

Django frowned, or at least seemed to. "So now they control an Esper. This isn't good." 

Setzer set the flask back down on the table, and looked around at the unfamiliar equipment. "No, it's not. I think I want to get her out of here, fast. No telling what they've done to her, and no telling what they can get her to do right now." 

The silver beast nodded, and padded out the door. "We'll check around this floor for awhile, and then check the cell block again. They'll most likely take her back there." He sniffed the ground. "I smell...her. And somebody else...sort of stinky.." 

Edgar snapped his fingers. "Caezin! Can you follow the trail?" 

Django gave a chuckle. "Of course. Come along, you two. I think we're almost there." He then led the way down the hall. Edgar followed, pointedly ignoring the lab implements and equipment around him, flicking out the lights. Setzer paused, reached up, and pulled out one of the florescent bulbs out of its slot in the ceiling, along with the small device next to it, and slipped both into one of the large pockets inside his trenchcoat. Then he followed as well. 

* * * 

Terra lay crumpled at Shadow's feet, no longer in Esper form. She was seriously weakened, and barely had the energy to remain in something of an upright position. Shadow looked down at her, his expression unreadable. "This doesn't work as well as I thought...why is her power so weak?" 

Caezin shrugged. "Master, she IS haf-Esper, after all. Perhaps it's watered-down power." 

The Master's pale eyes flashed in anger at Caezin, and then calmed. "Yes, it seems that way." He sighed. "I myself will deal with those attacking, since I know how they fight. Take her with you...I have no further use for her." 

"Master? What about reaching the Esper world?" 

The cult leader looked down at Terra, who's clothing hung in tatters. "I doubt she'll ever have the power to open it again. I'll have to find some other way. Now take her away...she's yours." 

"Master?" 

Shadow's light blue eyes flickered in the light of the moon. "Consider it a prize for your services. I know how you look at her, Caezin. You can't hide things from me." He sighed. "Now go." 

The mage grinned, showing his brown teeth. "Thank you, my Master." He roughly dragged Terra up by her arm. "Come on, you. We have things to do." 

Shadow watched as the two of them left, and nodded in satisfaction. Good. Not even the Esper knew that the moment Caezin touched her in any sexual way, he would use the red material orb. Caezin's life force, the force of a powerful mage, would be drained into Terra, and the Esper would regain her full strength. Then, that would be the time to summon her, to have her open the gate. 

He smiled coldly, and sat down on the harsh black gravel, waiting. 

* * * 

Yet another group of cult members rounded a corner, brandishing staffs, daggers, and material orbs. 

Yet another time, Mog stepped forward, holding up his charm. "Leave in peace!" 

And yet again, the cult members fled in terror, as their worst fear commanded them with baleful eyes. The moogle rolled around on the ground, laughing uncontrollably. "I LOVE saying that!" 

Xain sighed. "Mog, please stop. We must keep moving." He picked the small creature up, and set him on his feet, then turned to the others. "We're almost to the top floor, so be ready. I'm sure that the leader will be standing there, waiting for us." 

Relm frowned. "Terra's thoughts are...mixed. From what I get, they don't need her anymore, and are taking her away." 

The prince nodded. "Very well, that means that they will no longer use her against us. That's something of good news...do you know where they're taking her?" 

She shook her head, blonde curls bobbing. "Nope. She's with Caezin, though." 

Strago grunted. "I know Caezin...he'll probably take her someplace and try to use her power anyway." 

"Don't worry about it." Locke said. "Edgar, Setz and Django are probably hot on their trail as we speak. I know Django; he's an expert tracker." He looked up the staircase. "We'd probably better get moving. I don't know about you, but I just want to get this over with." 

* * *


	11. Chapter 10 -- Meltdown Tempest

"Rebirth" -- Chapter Ten **CHAPTER TEN  
Meltdown Tempest** Django sniffed, frowning. The trail forked in two directions suddenly, as if it partially backtracked on itself. 

"What now?" Edgar looked down at the silver-furred beast. 

He licked his lips, flattening his white whiskers. "The trail splits off two ways." 

Setzer swore. "Great. So now what? Which one do we follow?" 

Django shook his head. "I don't know...both seem fairly recent...it's hard to tell. But at least one heads back towards the cells. Another one leads up to the top floor." 

The king thought for a long moment. "You two go up ahead. I'll head back to the cells, and see if that's the right one." 

"What about Caezin?" Setzer looked down at Django, and the beast nodded in agreement. 

Edgar's expression was cold. "Oh, he won't give me any trouble. He won't have the opportunity." His icy blue eyes flickered up to Setzer. "Don't worry, I can take care of myself. You two go ahead." 

Setzer clasped hands with Edgar. "Good luck." Then he turned and followed Django, who was already heading down the hall. Edgar sighed, turned, and walked back towards the detention block. 

* * * 

Mog blinked as a cool breeze hit him. This was it, this was the rooftop. He glanced around, but didn't see anything on the cold black gravel. "Psst guys...I don't see anything..." 

Xain, Celes and Locke reached the top of the stairs, and looked around. A cold breeze blew from the ocean to the east, its expanse glittering in the distance. The moon shone down on the dark-stoned roof, casting shadows around the small structure at the center. Nothing stirred; nothing moved; nothing seemed to be there. 

And then, he stood up. 

The rest of the group, now all on the roof, watched as a man unfolded from the shadows of the structure, standing so the silver light of the moon could hit him. His face was hidden, the moon behind him casting shadows, but they all knew him. Interceptor let out a low whine, and laid his ears flat. 

"Shadow..." Celes said in a whisper. 

"Yes." The Ninja's voice was different, somehow. It wasn't the cold hiss that they were all familiar with. Instead, it was vibrant, strong, and deep. His hair wavered in the breeze that swept through the tower's roof, and he stepped forward. "I'm somewhat surprised to see you here." 

Relm gasped, finally seeing his face with the others. Nobody had ever seen Shadow's face before, not since he assumed that identity. But long ago, he was another person. He was a husband with a wife and a little girl; a small girl that always remembered her daddy's face, and waited for him to come back. She always waited to see the face of her father... 

"Clyde." Strago said. "What on earth are you doing?" 

"Why do you ask questions when you know the answers, mage?" He took another step forward, his soft-shod feet barely making a sound on the gravel. "I should ask you that question, however. I didn't want to have guests here so soon, you understand." 

Xain looked at Shadow squarely in the eye, suppressing the chill he felt by doing so. "I've come to reclaim my tower. It was never meant to belong to you." 

The cult leader sighed. "Does it come to this, again? We have to fight once more? Why do you persist? Is it because you cannot escape destiny?" He turned as Setzer and Django reached the top of the tower. "Ah, more arrive." He flexed his long fingers. "Very well. I suppose we can start." He pointed at them. "Beta." Not waves of green but waves of red shot out from around his feet, stirring the stones around him. A large funnel cloud formed above them, made of pure fire, swiftly spiraling down to them. Sabin pushed Relm out of the way just as it pulled him up into it, even as the fringes of the spell touched them all. The blitz master's cry of pain was heard in the tornado, and then it dissipated. A singed and bleeding Sabin fell to the gravel with a grunt. Gau ran over to him, his father close behind. 

Sabin raised himself up on one elbow. "I'm all right. Cure." He glittered green as the healing spell washed over him and the others. Shadow's voice broke through the hissing sound of the magic. 

"Trine." 

Electricity jolted out of the sky to form a swirling pyramid that bore down on all of them. Celes attempted to runic it, but to no avail. It hit her first, her sword acting like a lightning rod. She screamed in pain and dropped the weapon, falling over on her side. Locke attempted to run to her, but was caught up in the spell as well. When it passed, the two of them lay twitching on the ground in pain. 

Setzer flung several cards at Shadow, but the Ninja stopped them in mid-air, catching them. He grinned and flung them back at the group, causing them to jump and dodge. Sabin muttered another cure spell, this one on just Locke and Celes, while Django lunged at Shadow, claws out. The Ninja crashed to the ground, the massive beast on top of him. Django snapped at his neck, but Shadow monkey-flipped him off, his strong legs sending the beast almost off the edge of the tower. The feline creature made a whimpering growl and clung to the edge of the roof, his hind feet dangling. 

Xain chanted something in deadpan tones, and raised an arm above his head. Liquid fire rained down on the cult leader, hitting him numerous times. Shadow yelled in both pain and anger, and raised his own arm in response, green energy whipping around his form like a hurricane. 

"Ultima!" 

* * * 

Terra regained her strength as she walked, if ever slightly. She didn't care where Caezin was leading her at this point, just as long as he would let her sit down to rest, if only for a few minutes. She obediently let him push her along, vaguely aware that he was taking her back to her cell. 

"Do you know what's in store for you, my dear?" Caezin said gleefully in her ear. 

"Not really." She admitted in a low tone. 

Caezin giggled, a hideous sound. "You'll find out soon." He pushed her into the detention area, his breathing heavy. Why was he breathing so heavily? Terra knew that he had more stamina than she did, and she managed to walk here without any problem. She stumbled into her cell, looking at the bed longingly. Finally, she could rest. 

Suddenly, Caezin grabbed her from behind, putting his hands on her breasts. Terra snapped out from her weary haze and cried out in surprise, forcing his hands away. The old mage's response was to push her into a wall, hard. Terra felt the wind whoosh out of her lungs as she slammed into the cold metal wall. 

Then Caezin was against her. "If you don't fight, you don't get hurt. Got it?" 

Terra glared into his eyes, smelling the stench of his rotten teeth so close to her, and snarled. 

"Fine then. But it's all the same to me." He reached and grabbed her bodice, ripping it, exposing her breasts, and at the same time put his mouth on hers. She thrashed, trying to escape, but the mage was simply too strong for her to overtake. 

Terra screamed. 

* * * 

...the scream echoed. Edgar heard it, and knew. He knew it was her. Suddenly he found himself running towards the sound, towards the detention blocks, running faster than he ever did in his life. 

Another scream, this one mingled with a sob. Edgar's world turned red, his blood burning in his veins. They were hurting her...Caezin was hurting her. He simply couldn't stand for that. He rounded the corner of the detention blocks, and ran down to the one cell that stood open, towards the sounds of Terra's muffled sobbing and Caezin's grunts and growls. 

Edgar burst into the room, finding the two along the opposite wall, his eyes taking in everything. Terra lay pinned against the wall, tears running down her face, her breasts exposed. Caezin pressed himself against her, fumbling with his own clothing as he roughly kissed her. 

The king let out a yell of fury and disgust and raised the Autocrossbow. Caezin turned, easing up on Terra. She slid to the floor. 

"You?" Caezin snorted, his skinny chest exposed. "What are you d--" 

He never got to finish the sentence as Edgar pulled the trigger on the Autocrossbow. Bolt after bolt thudded into Caezin's thin form, knocking him this way and that with their impact. But Edgar didn't release the trigger; he kept firing, his face red with rage, blue eyes flashing with intense anger. 

More arrows slammed into the old mage, ripping through his flesh and clothing, spattering his own blood all over himself. They ripped through his face, through his torso, through his weakly flailing arms, thudding in the wall behind him, leaving streaks of blood on the floor and the walls. They continued to rip through him even after his heart exploded in his chest, pierced by a bolt. They continued, even after he had died. Suddenly the hail of crossbow bolts stopped, although Edgar still held down the trigger, the Autocrossbow clicking from the lack of rounds to shoot. 

What was left of Caezin remained standing stubbornly for a moment, and then toppled over in a bloody heap. Edgar released the trigger, slowly lowering the weapon, and then dropping it to the floor with a clatter. His shoulders rose and fell with a sigh as he looked at the remains of the man that had caused them so much trouble. Then he stepped over the body, and over to Terra. 

She still sat on the floor in a partial fetal position, hugging herself. She stared at Caezin's corpse, shuddering. 

Edgar knelt down next to her. "...Terra?" 

She raised her green eyes to look at him, the occasional tear running down her cheeks. Her voice was little more than a whisper. "E...Edgar..?" 

He gathered her up in his arms. "Yes, it's me. I have you now." He felt her body shake with sobs. "There now, it's all right now. I'm here to get you out of this place." 

* * * 

Shadow stood above them all as they writhed on the ground in agony. His laughter mocked them. "Is that all? Can't you give me any more?" 

Xain raised his face to say something, but the cult leader kicked him in the face. "Shut up, pretty boy." Shadow watched as Relm stood, helping her grandfather up. "Oh how sweet. You mean to tell me this is going to be a family thing?" 

Strago coldly regarded him. "Clyde, what you've done here is unforgivable. I always hoped you would make it back to care for Relm...but I see that's out of the question now." 

Relm stood there numbly, tears in her eyes. "If you were my father...why didn't you ever tell me?" 

Shadow's head snapped to her. "Clyde is gone. I merely inhabit his body. Any questions directed towards him would be in vain." He held up something red, round, and glowing. "I think I've had enough." Concentrating on the red material, he looked at his own daughter. "Meltdown Tempest." 

Nothing happened. 

Shadow's face switched to one of confusion, and he tried again. "Meltdown Tempest!" 

Relm smiled in triumph. "Terra's too weak to answer your stupid summon spell. She won't come." 

The ninja narrowed his pale blue eyes. "Fine, then. I can do things other ways. Shadow Fla--" 

He was cut off by a rush of black and tan fur as Interceptor leapt at his former master. The dog's teeth dug into Shadow's bicep, ripping the flesh. The cult leader grunted in pain, and grabbed the dog by his head. 

"You too? Fine. Aqualung." 

The air around the canine suddenly became filled with fizzing moisture, bubbles snapping in the water. Interceptor let go and thrashed his head, his lungs starting to fill with water. The dog coughed, and fell onto his side, his breath wheezing. Relm cried out and ran to the dog's side, ignoring the fact that she was now next to the man that was her father. 

Strago rushed forward. "Relm, no! Stay bac--" His voice cut off into a gurgle as Shadow gripped him by the throat with one hand. The old mage clawed at the Ninja's arm, but the grip wouldn't relent. 

"That was stupid, old man. I wonder why Clyde would choose you to watch over the girl?" 

The blue mage's eyes narrowed as he struggled to breathe. "...because...he..." He made a choking sound. "...Relm....run..." 

Relm looked up at her grandfather, shaking her head. "Grandpa! No! Don't do it!" 

Shadow looked at the girl, made a motion, and both she and the canine were flung back towards the others. "Didn't I tell all of you to shut up?" 

Strago knew what he had to do. He had even more blue mage skills, far beyond others in Thamasa, but he kept this to himself. He didn't want them to know that a destructive force was housed inside an old man. If they knew, they would of never trusted him. Now was the time to use that power, though. It was the first and only time he could ever use it. 

His gray-blue eyes locked with those of Shadow's, and his voice came out in a low gurgle: 

"...trade....off." 

The entire roof lit up with white energy, even as Relm screamed in horror and remorse. The light originated from her grandfather, the old mage's body being ripped apart by all the magical energy he stored within himself. The lights swirled around the two men at the center of the roof, and then suddenly bore into Shadow. One after another, they slammed into his form, each one causing him to scream in pain. Shadow's grip slackened, and the red material slipped from his hand to bounce away. Strago's limp form slipped from the Ninja's grasp to fall at his feet. There was a brilliant flash of light, and then when their vision cleared, Shadow lay on the ground next to Strago. 

Relm sobbed and ran over to the two men, even as Xain stood up. The prince looked at the others and sighed, then walked over to Relm. 

The girl kneeled next to her grandfather, rocking back and forth, weeping. The old mage's body lay twisted into a form of pain, but on his face was a gentle smile, his gray-blue eyes shut in repose. Xain put his hand on her shoulder. 

"He did it for us, Relm. He knew that he had to do it." 

She shook her head. "There was another way...there had to of been!" 

"...no other...way..." came a weak voice next to them. Shadow stirred, barely, his eyes staring up, unseeing. "...Relm..." 

Xain drew his sword, and laid the point on Shadow's chest. "Enough. You die now." 

"...Clyde...I am...Clyde." Shadow stared around, blinking his eyes, which were a deep amber color. "...it's...gone. Fled my body." 

Relm knelt next to her father, blinking away tears. "I'm here, father." 

Shadow clawed at the air with a hand until he gripped her arm. "...I'm sorry...I should of come back." He sighed, his voice dropping lower as he continued to weaken. "...I never should of left...but I..." 

Relm gripped his hand in her own. "Don't talk..." 

"...afraid. I was afraid. Please..." His sightless eyes stared in her general direction. "...learn from me. I know your power. Through me, learn the ways..." He sighed, pausing to catch his breath. "...learn the ways of ninjistu through me." 

The girl nodded, even though she knew her father couldn't see her. She gently placed her hands on his temples, and closed her eyes. Then she sat there for a moment, transfixed, occasionally spastimatically jerking. Towards the end her eyes flew open, and she stared ahead, unseeing. Xain started to reach for her when she came back to reality. 

Clyde smiled, a genuine smile. "...thank you. It makes me...glad to have such a...dau..." He never finished the sentence, using his last breath to speak it. Relm lowered her face into her hands, and started sobbing again. 

* * * 

Edgar carried Terra through the hallways of Cosmo Tower, towards the bottom floor. At first, Terra had insisted on walking, but could barely move. Edgar solved the problem by simply picking her up and carrying her. She complained for the first few minutes, but then gave up and rested her head on his shoulder. She wore Edgar's blue cloak around her slim shoulders to conceal her nakedness, something for which a modest woman like Terra was grateful for. 

He told her about their plans to come and rescue her, how they found Xain, and how they worked alongside him. She told him about her three days in the cursed tower, and about her captors. 

"So Shadow was the one behind this. I knew I felt something funny from him when we saw him at that cavern." His face darkened in anger. 

Terra gently touched his face. "Please, Edgar...don't let it get to you. It's not his fault, I know it. It was his body, but it wasn't Shadow." She sighed. "There was a spirit in him, taking him over...just as there was for Kefka. Shadow himself told me...that the spirit in him is always reborn to destroy...and we're always reincarnated to heal." She paused. "Kefka was sane once...I can remember, just barely. The same spirit that was in Kefka took over Shadow." She then went silent, watching as they rounded another landing to descend yet another flight of stairs. 

"Are you going to be all right?" He asked, his voice full of concern. 

She sighed, and rested her head against his silk shirt. "I don't know. I need time...just give me time..." Terra was silent again, and they continued down the staircase for a while without saying anything. Then she spoke again. "Thank you...for coming for me." 

He smiled, and looked down at her, and moved his head to kiss her. Then he though better of it, knowing of Terra's trauma from the incident with Caezin, and kissed her gently on the forehead instead. "Anything for you, my lady." 

They continued down the stairs, her head on his shoulder. 

* * * 

Locke walked down the umpteenth flight of stairs, bearing the inert form of Strago. Celes walked a few paces behind him in silence. Behind them, Setzer carried the body of Clyde, the gambler's expression unreadable. Xain and Django walked quietly with the remnants of Django's tribe behind them, their numbers significantly smaller. Mog and Cyan took up the rear, talking quietly in hushed tones. Interceptor kept in pace with Relm, every once in a while pausing to whine and lick her hand. Gau walked close to the girl as well, shooting looks of concern in her direction from time to time. 

Relm walked with her eyes downcast, her face ashen. She hadn't spoken since the rooftop and showed no indication that she even cared where she was. She merely walked along numbly, putting one foot in front of the other, keeping in pace with the rest of the group. Never making eye contact with the others, she kept to herself. Gau attempted to say things to her from time to time, but she didn't respond. 

Cyan watched, and sighed. "'Twould seem the girl's loss hath affected her thinking." 

Mog nodded. "Yeah....poor Relm. She didn't deserve to lose both of them." The moogle sniffled, and rubbed at his eyes. He tended to get very emotional at times. "I just wish I could do something to make it easier on her..." 

The swordsman sighed, and patted Mog kindly on the head. "I do not think anything would help her right now, my friend. Grief is a powerful thing, and it doth weigh heavily on the soul. Trust me, this I know." He looked ahead at the girl, who continued to stumble ahead. "All she doth need is time to heal her wounds." 

They eventually reached the bottom of the tower, having collected more cosmo beasts and members of the Jidoorian army on the way. When they went outside, Edgar was waiting for them. 

The king of Figaro watched as Locke approached him with Strago's body, and then sighed. "I see. Poor old fool...I know I'll miss him." 

Locke nodded. "He gave his life for us, Edgar. He used up all his power to kill off Shadow." He looked around. "Where's Terra?" 

"She's resting in the Falcon. She's all right...just a bit worn out." 

The thief peered at Edgar, who still wore Maduin's amulet. "Why are you wearing her necklace?" 

"Long story. Bring Strago inside the airship...and get the others to come inside as well. I think we need to rest, and share with each other what happened. 

* * * 

Terra awoke to see Setzer sitting there, next to her bed. She blinked the sleep from her eyes, and then sat up. "Setzer?" 

The gambler gave a low chuckle, went over to embrace her. "I missed you, y'know. Do me a favor and don't get captured again." He smiled down at her as he sat next to her on the bed, his arm still around her shoulders. 

She smiled at him. "I promise. Trust me, I didn't enjoy it one bit." She looked out the porthole window. "Where are we?" 

"Jidoor. We've stopped here to drop Xain and Django off. Then we have to head back to Thamasa for a couple of funerals." 

Her green eyes lowered. "Oh, who died?" 

"Strago. And Shadow. Strago used his own life to kill Shadow." 

Terra turned away to hide her expression, but gave up. She knew that at this point, she couldn't hide how she felt from a friend. Tears running down her face, she leaned against Setzer. "...they shouldn't of died, Setzer. If I would of only stayed in Thamasa..." 

He tightened his arm around her, smoothing back her hair. "They didn't die in vain, Terra. Everybody knows that you did the right thing. If you didn't do what you did, who knows what state Thamasa would be in? Besides, Strago knew that he was doing the right thing; he died with a smile on his face...I saw it Terra. He knew that he was freeing Shadow from whatever force took him over." 

She nodded. "I still miss them, both of them. They were both friends of mine...something I only have so many of." 

The gambler smiled, pushed some of her hair out of her face. "I think you should go for quality, not quantity, Terra. There's not many of us, but we all would do anything for you. After all, I...that is, we came to the tower to get you back." 

The half-Esper nodded and turned to stare out the window at the lights of Jidoor. "Then, I guess I'm grateful." 

* * *


	12. Chapter 11 -- Hero's Grove

"Rebirth" -- Chapter Eleven **CHAPTER ELEVEN  
Hero's Grove** Strago Magus was laid to rest the next day, in the same grove that housed the grave of General Leo. The whole town was in attendance, all to show respect for whom possibly was their greatest hero. He had given his life for his friends so that another's soul could be freed. On the other side of the grove another new grave stood, the grave of the man known as Shadow. On the tombstone, it listed his name as Clyde Arrowny, the father of Relm. 

Locke stood and read Clyde's tombstone. "Clyde Arrowny, 3968 (34 BK) - 4001 (2 PA). Father, husband, and man strong of spirit." He sighed, taking the knife, Striker, and laying it in its embroidered sheath against the grave. "Sleep well." He stood, and Celes rested herself against him, both the only ones visiting the grave. All others were at the opposite end of the grove of poplars, at Strago's. 

Celes sighed. "Do you think any of them really understand the implications of what these two did? ...of Clyde and Strago?" 

The treasure hunter shook his head. "Even if they don't, they're still offering their respects. If anything, it's something." 

She nodded. "Yes, it is. The Elder proclaimed this place the "Hero's Grove", and from henceforth it'll be a sacred place where only the valiant are buried." She sighed. "It's sad, but very fitting." 

Locke gave the small smile that people use when attending funerals. "I don't think the three of them deserved anything less." He looked over to where Terra was standing. She was neither at Strago's or Shadow's graves, but at her customary spot by Leo's. Locke gently took Celes' hand. "Come on...let's give her some time to herself." He led her to follow the others that filed out of the grove, and towards the Elder's house. 

Terra, garbed in black, looked at the gold-hilted sword rising out of the grave, the only tombstone Leo would ever get...the only one he would of wanted. She sighed. 

"Leo, I'm sorry. But I'm letting go. Is that all right?" 

A faint breeze blew through the grove, rustling the leaves on the poplars gently, as if answering her. 

When she responded, it was in a faint voice, a voice of somebody who finally can accept who they are; the sound of somebody who now knew what road they were set to take: 

"...thank you." 

Terra then turned, and walked along the white limestone pathways, to the Elder's house. 

The Hero's Grove was rustled by another breeze that sang through the poplars, and then fell silent. 

* * * 

The remnants of The Returners sat around Relm's home, all talking quietly. Many hours had passed; like people generally do at funeral lunches, they talked gaily, and laughed quite a bit, some having a bit too much to drink as well. Now, all the laughter was gone, and they gathered to talk in tired tones. 

Edgar sat with a glass of wine in his hand, listening as Celes, Terra and Locke talked. It was only one week, but it was a long one. So many things had happened, and so many things still needed to be explored. For one, the material issue. Granted, it could give anybody the ability to cast magic, but is that what they wanted? It seemed that every time magic reared its ugly head, the world was thrust into turmoil. The king sighed, sipped his wine, and looked over at Terra. 

"We're all reborn." She was saying. "The same souls are always intertwined, destined to be brought back for the purpose of saving the world. Even as the world changes, it always stays the same for us. Sure, we might change gender or alignment when reborn, but inside, we're the same person." 

Celes wrinkled her nose. "So you're saying that I can be reborn as an evil man?" 

Terra smiled. "Well, not evil...but at least a man that doesn't always fly with the good guys." 

Locke smiled stupidly, long past drunk. "'S right, Celes. You can still be a good bad guy. And I mean guy...heheh." 

She sighed, and removed the drink from his hand. "Sorry dear, but I think your bedtime is coming up soon." 

"Aww." The thief actually pouted. 

Terra looked up wistfully. "I wonder who I'll be if I'm reborn?" 

Edgar looked at her, and jumping into the conversation, smiled. "The same person, but several generations from now." 

She laughed. "Thanks for ruining the image for me, Edgar." She stood, and stretched. "I need to get some air. Want to come, Edgar?" 

The king looked over to where his twin was snoring noisily in a nearby chair. "No, I think I should get my brother to bed. I think I probably should go to sleep soon, myself." He stood, and then bowed to her. "My lady," Then he went over to Sabin, and roughly started to shake him awake. 

Terra headed outside, and almost immediately looked up at the stars. She always found herself staring at the sky; she would look at the stars, at the clouds, or even at the sapphire dome of the daytime sky. For some reason, it always gave her comfort. 

Somebody came up beside her. She didn't even have to look; the familiar smell of his musky cologne filled her nostrils, and she knew that Setzer had come to stand near her. 

"If it wasn't for all the damn gloomy circumstances, I'd say it's a nice night." He said. 

She nodded, and continued looking at the stars. "I would too." She sighed. "Why is it these things always surround my life, Setzer? For once, I would like to go out into the world from someplace and not risk heaven and hell in the process." She felt his arm slip around her shoulders. He had taken to that habit since her return yesterday. Not that she particularly minded. 

"I think you can, Terra. It's just that you always notice something is up, or something that's wrong, and you always want to fix it. I think you need to stop caring about everybody and everything, and just care about yourself for a while." 

The Esper looked up at him. "That's awfully selfish, Setzer." 

He smiled his wolflike grin. "Yes, isn't it? It's part of being human. If we don't indulge ourselves from time to time, then what the hell is this thing called "life"? Why do we bother living it if we don't have a little fun?" 

Just seeing his smile, she had to smile too. "I think you're right. I keep worrying about my kids in Mobliz, but in truth most of them are old enough to take care of themselves. I worry about the strangers I see on the street." She laughed. "I worry about some small birds I see near a hawk's nest. I guess I do worry to much." 

"Told you so." 

She laughed again. "All right, I'm for it. I'll get out and go...someplace." She frowned, her thin eyebrows creasing in thought. "...but I don't know where I want to go." 

"Come with me, then." 

Terra looked at him. "With you?" 

The gambler's gray eyes twinkled. "Why not? You know we'd have fun. We'd see the world in all its beauty from the deck of the Falcon. I'd show you the lighter side of life, Terra...which I know you need to see." His scarred face broke into another grin, but this one was a bit softer. "C'mon Terra...just for a week. Just so you can see..." 

She smiled, and shrugged. "Sure, why not? I don't think a little fun will kill me." 

Setzer smiled, and gave her a squeeze, his arm still around her shoulders. "Nope. It'll do you wonders." 

* * * 

The next day, they departed. There were the standard goodbyes, and the women all got a little teary. Cyan and his stepson agreed to stay with Relm for a while, at least until she recovered. 

"Her wounds are deep, but I believe that Gau and I can help relieve some of her pain." He said as the group got ready to depart. 

Gau nodded. "It's the least we can do, after all." 

Edgar, Sabin, and Mog boarded a ship to South Figaro. Edgar, of course, had to say goodbye to Terra one last time. 

"I hear you're going on a journey, my lady." He said with a smile. 

"Just a small one...only a week. Setzer told me that a vacation would do me some good, so he offered to take me around to see the world." 

Edgar felt a pang of jealousy, but didn't show it on his face. "What will you do after that?" 

Terra shrugged. "I don't know. I think I'll go back to Mobliz for a while, maybe. My kids--" 

"Bring them and come to Figaro." 

Terra blinked. "You want me to bring them to Figaro?" 

The king nodded. "It's your call, but you know that they're welcome there. I can find families for each and every one of them, if you would like. Either that, or I could send people to Mobliz, and rebuild the town." 

Her eyes lit up, and she suddenly hugged him. "Edgar, that would be wonderful!" 

He smiled. "As I said, I would do anything for you, my lady." He kissed her on the cheek, somewhat satisfied to see her face flush with color. "Write to me, Terra. I'll miss you terribly." 

Terra watched as the boat pulled away, as Edgar stood on deck and watched the port of Thamasa pull away. Then she sighed and headed to the Falcon where Locke, Celes and Setzer were waiting. As she boarded the ship, she wondered where her life was going. For once, she had felt happy with those children. But yet, something inside herself was changing again. She felt the need for something, but what it was, Terra didn't know. She walked up on deck, where Setzer was waiting by the wheel. 

"So, after we take those two lovers back to Kohlingen, where are we headed?" Setzer fired up the engines, the blades of the propellers whirring to life. 

Terra smiled, and pointed off to the early evening sky, where the first stars were winking into view. "Second star to the right, and straight off towards morning." 

The gambler laughed, and they took off. 

* * *


	13. Epilogue -- To Remember...

"Rebirth" -- Epilogue **EPILOGUE  
To Remember...** Locke examined a material orb carefully, tapping its smooth surface with a finger. Was it his imagination, or did this thing grow? Celes had made more material orbs since they had arrived home well over a week ago. Locke, of course, was eager to try the new ones out. He even had snagged the ones from the various cult members, and had added them to the collection. Now they owned nice shiny orbs of "Comet" (similar to Meteor), "Earth", and a strange yellow one. Strangely enough, it contained several spells: "Shadow Flare", "Trine", "Beta", and "Aqualung". For some reason, this one didn't seem to grow as the others did. Locke didn't seem to mind, though...he was pleased because Celes was pleased. 

There was a banging downstairs on the door, and then Locke heard Celes answer it. He listened from out the window, catching a few bits and pieces of the conversation of whomever it was. He heard Celes say "Thank you, he'll be pleased.", and then the door shut. The treasure hunter sighed, and headed downstairs. "Who was at the d--...what the hell do you have there?" 

Celes was struggling with a large, rectangular package wrapped in brown paper. "This...is from Xain. He had it sent here for you, as a way of thanks, I think. He sent a note for you, and one for me." 

"Can I read your note if you read mine?" 

She frowned, snatching her note away. "Nope. I have to go to the market now...I'll be back in a little while." She stuffed her note down her bodice, grabbed the large wicker basket by the door, and headed out. 

Locke sighed, shook his head, and leaned the large package against the wall. He then opened up the letter: 

_Locke, _

We have been through much, have we not? I am currently writing to you from Cosmo Tower, where I, some of the scholars from Jidoor, and Django's tribe have made our home. We have gutted out the hideousness that the cult had brought here, and have once again made it beautiful. We have opened a path in the mountains, and are welcoming all to come to our tower to study. Only a few have arrived, but our hopes and prayers are still for more to arrive. 

Relm herself has offered to live here at Cosmo Tower, only just contacting me a few days ago. She and her dog arrived, with Cyan and Gau along with her for the journey. She stated that she would do much more for herself by studying at my center of knowledge, so she is now under my care. I am somewhat glad to have her here, for the girl brightens my day, along with the days of the others here. We all consider her a blessing. She at the moment is painting my portrait. 

My uncle is in an absolute snit, for I have reclaimed much of my art. This includes many pieces that just "happened" their way into my uncle's collection. Still, I offered to obtain him more art, so he was more than pleased. Relm even offered to do another painting for him, which pacified the old fool. This is why he was willing to give up the piece of art I give you with this letter. I thought the one man that had the right to own it would be you, Locke, and I know that you will treasure it even more than my uncle did. 

Locke blinked, halfway through the letter, and looked up at the painting wrapped in brown paper. He cut the strings binding it together with a dagger, and ripped the paper away. Then his breath caught in his throat as the eyes of Rachel looked back at him, captured on the canvas. He gently tore the rest of the paper away and stared at the painting, the priceless painting done by an Esper in the past, the only painting that could ever capture who the phoenix really was. The thief then tore his gaze away from the painting, and read the rest of the letter. 

_I am sure that it brings you both joy and pain, my friend, and I wish to share the joy. I long for phoenix to come back to me, even if only for a brief while. Her divine presence always brought me happiness, just as I'm sure Rachel brought happiness to you. That is why, I ask for the exchange of this painting...I ask for the phoenix. I know you do know where she is, Locke. I could feel it when we were on our mission to rescue your friend. I do not mean to rush you, but I, as her follower, must have her back into my life. Please, contact me, for I will be waiting for your response. The phoenix's blessing be with you. _

Sincerely,  
King Xain of Cosmo Tower/Canyon,  
High Priest of the Phoenix 

Locke slowly lowered the letter. Xain knew...Xain knew! How did he know about the phoenix? He slowly shook his head. It didn't really matter...he knew he had to let go sometime...but not yet. He couldn't let go just yet. 

The treasure hunter reached into his shirt, and touched an amulet he wore there, hidden. Not even Celes knew about it. Nobody knew...and nobody would know. He clutched the amulet, and sighed. No, nobody would know, even if Xain knew things....not even Xain would rush him. Soon, he would move on, but for now... 

Locke Cole continued to hold the amulet in his hand tightly, as he stared at the painting of Rachel and the phoenix, sadness shining in his soft brown eyes. 

And he remembered. 

* * * 

On the top of Cosmo Tower, a warm breeze blew off the eastern sea, bringing with it the promise of another beautiful day. Something rolled around on top of the tower, near the edge. Pushed by the wind, the faintly glowing orb rolled slowly towards the edge of the roof, and then rolled off. 

It picked up speed as it fell, as the laws of physics took their course. When it finally hit the rocks far below, it shattered with a definite crystalline sound, split into several pieces. The jagged shards of the material orb flickered a faint red color in the early morning light, as if trying to continue to contain the essence held within. 

Then the light died, and the material lay amongst the rocks, forgotten. 

* * *


End file.
